France Protests Intensify: 135 Arrested, Paris Museums Shut as Cost-of-Living Anger Boils Over

A new wave of mass protests has erupted across France against the rising cost of living and deteriorating public services, with police reporting 135 arrests and major Paris museums closed over riot fears. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez reported 136 protest actions involving about 35,000 people by 1:00 PM local time, down from 264 actions and 60,000 participants on October 17. Authorities deployed 70,000 police and gendarmes, while security checks seized metal balls, lead shot, pyrotechnics, slingshots, homemade weapons, a katana, and airsoft guns. The Louvre, Musée d'Orsay, Picasso Museum, and Grand Palais were shut in Paris, along with 24 metro stations. In Lyon, police used tear gas against about 150 protesters attempting to block a road, while in Orléans, thousands demonstrated against a rally by Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally party, with participants chanting anti-fascist slogans and carrying signs reading "We are hotter than the fascists." The protests follow October 17 unrest that saw arson, looting, and clashes with police, including the burning of Limoges' historic town hall.