France mobilizes 70,000 police as protests spread

France is mobilizing 70,000 police officers for nationwide demonstrations this Saturday, fearing riots like those seen last weekend, with curfews remaining in effect in sensitive urban areas. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez announced the massive deployment to prevent violence and looting, citing numerous calls for violent acts. Several demonstrations have been banned, while permitted rallies require organizers to provide security services, and Paris' union march route was adjusted. The protests, initially focused on better school equipment, have attracted additional groups, leading to severe unrest. In Limoges, rioters set the 19th-century town hall ablaze, with its bell tower collapsing, symbolizing the violence nationally and internationally.