Paris shopkeepers board up windows as France braces for protests

Paris shopkeepers are boarding up windows and securing businesses ahead of fresh anti-government protests on Saturday, following last weekend's riots that damaged or looted around 450 shops in the capital alone. Authorities have deployed about 70,000 police officers nationwide, with Interior minister Laurent Nuñez vowing to be "uncompromising with vandals and looters." Demonstrations are planned in several cities, while restrictions have been imposed, including a ban on non-union-organized protests in Paris and other areas. The protests, which began over school conditions, have expanded to address rising living costs. Museums and a Paris Saint-Germain match were closed or rescheduled, while political tensions mount ahead of the 2027 presidential election.