France riots: 400,000 protest, police fire tear gas in nationwide unrest

Protests across France have descended into riots, with 70,000 police deployed and tear gas fired as over 400,000 people took to the streets, leading to 135 arrests on Saturday alone. The unrest follows last weekend's violence that saw 2,700 arrests and 217 convictions, sparked by student demands over school conditions and anger at rising living costs, with buildings vandalized and 500 businesses damaged. Authorities have imposed curfews, closed museums, and increased police deployments by 20%, while Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez vowed to be uncompromising with looters, as the crisis pressures President Macron's final years in office.