Tense protests draw 400,000 across France as police mobilize

More than 400,000 people demonstrated across France on Saturday in a tense atmosphere, with authorities denying permits for many protests and mobilizing at least 70,000 police and military personnel a week after the country's worst riots in recent memory. The mostly peaceful demonstrations, involving students, teachers, and left-wing activists, drew around 410,000 participants. However, unrest broke out in several locations later in the day, including clashes with police using tear gas and water cannons at the end of the permitted march in Paris. President Emmanuel Macron had announced Thursday that only demonstrations by "legitimate actors" would be approved, following last week's riots where masked individuals clashed with police and vandalized around 3,000 businesses. Police suspect far-left activists, criminal groups, and opportunistic youth were behind the violence.