French protests draw tens of thousands as police make over 130 arrests

Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets across France on Saturday in a new wave of demonstrations, with police making over 130 arrests and using chemical agents in several cities. Authorities deployed 70,000 security forces nationwide amid protests over the rising cost of living. Interior Minister Laurent Niniéz said no serious incidents had occurred by midday, though police in Bordeaux reported protesters throwing objects and erecting barricades. Tear gas was used in Lyon, Lille, Toulouse, and Nantes, while authorities seized weapons including metal pellets, a katana sword, and airsoft guns. The protests follow last weekend's violence, which Macron blamed on far-left groups seeking to "overthrow democracy," and his government's ban on non-union-organized demonstrations. Protests also targeted Marine Le Pen's far-right party conference in Orléans, with turnout estimated between 11,000 and 26,000 people.