Protests in Brussels and Lyon as France and Belgium brace for unrest

A new day of social protests is underway in Belgium and France, with around a hundred demonstrators gathered at the Mont des Arts in Brussels and initial tear gas volleys fired in Lyon, amid high tensions following last week's unrest. In France, authorities have deployed over 70,000 police and gendarmes, a nearly 20% increase from the previous week, after scenes of destruction and looting occurred during the October 17 protests. The demonstrators include diverse groups, from high school students to unions and "yellow vests." The mobilization comes six months before the French presidential election, in a tense social and political climate. France's deteriorating public finances are also a concern at the European level.