French police use tear gas as protests spread across France
French police fired tear gas at protesters Saturday as France deployed 70,000 officers nationwide to prevent a repeat of last week's rioting, which damaged or looted 3,000 shops amid demonstrations over the high cost of living. In Lyon, where protests were banned, police dispersed about 150 demonstrators attempting to block a road, while in Orleans, thousands marched against Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally party congress, with police estimating 11,000 attendees and organizers claiming 26,000. Major Paris museums, including the Louvre and Orsay, closed Saturday, and an NFL game between the New Orleans Saints and Pittsburgh Steelers remains scheduled for Sunday despite some associated venues shutting down. The unrest began last month with student protests and has escalated as Le Pen launches her presidential campaign, with elections due in six months.