France deploys 70,000 security personnel as protests raise riot fears

France deployed 70,000 security personnel, including elite anti-terror forces, ahead of Saturday protests, raising fears of a repeat of last weekend's riots. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez blamed far-left social media calls for violence and vowed to be uncompromising with looters and violent groups. Paris boarded up shops, closed the Louvre, Musee d’Orsay, and Picasso Museum, and postponed a Paris Saint-Germain football match. Soldiers will guard sensitive buildings, with helicopters, water cannons, and armored vehicles available, while some cities like Lyon banned protests and extended curfews. President Macron acknowledged "planning failings" after last weekend's unrest drew over 500,000 people and led to vandalism. The protests, framed as "Acte II," demand better public services and cost-of-living help, with polls showing violence boosting far-right candidate Marine Le Pen, who convenes supporters in Orleans Saturday.