France on Edge as Second Wave of Protests Begins

The first protest marches began gathering Saturday in several French cities for a new day of high-tension social mobilization, amid fears of a repeat of the violence and looting seen the previous week. Over 70,000 police and gendarmes have been deployed, nearly 20 percent more than last week. Most major demonstrations are scheduled for early afternoon, with authorities reporting calm in Paris so far. In Marseille, armored vehicles and water cannons were deployed, while Lyon police used tear gas to disperse a group near a banned perimeter. Authorities have banned some gatherings and imposed curfews, drawing accusations of authoritarian drift from the radical left. This second act unites diverse movements, from students to unions and yellow vests, in a tense climate six months before the presidential election. The previous week's protests drew 550,000 to 800,000 people but were overshadowed by widespread looting, including a burned town hall in Limoges. Museums like the Louvre will close, and far-right leader Marine Le Pen's party congress in Orléans has prompted a curfew for minors.