France to deploy 70,000 police for weekend protests

France will deploy approximately 70,000 police nationwide this weekend in anticipation of new protests, following some of the worst urban violence in years that erupted alongside demonstrations a week ago. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez announced the security deployment, warning that calls for violence and looting were circulating on social media. The protests, initially sparked by students over learning conditions, have spread nationwide amid broader anger over the rising cost of living. The unrest comes six months before presidential elections, with a new poll showing far-right candidate Marine Le Pen as the frontrunner. Authorities have imposed protest restrictions in several cities, while courts have jailed 217 people over last weekend's violence.