France to deploy 70,000 police ahead of new protests

France is set to deploy 70,000 police nationwide in preparation for new protests this weekend, following a week of urban violence that erupted during demonstrations, according to the government. President Emmanuel Macron, who is postponing a visit to Nigeria and Senegal due to the crisis, convened a meeting of his defense council and security forces to address the situation.

High school students, whose protests over school conditions sparked the movement, are among those expected to participate in the upcoming demonstrations.

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez announced the deployment of 70,000 security personnel on Saturday, warning that calls for violence and looting were circulating on social media. The protests have taken place at a critical time, six months before elections, with recent polls indicating that far-right candidate Marine Le Pen is the frontrunner, gaining strength from the recent events.

Le Pen is scheduled to host her National Rally party congress in Orleans this weekend, but local authorities are concerned about potential clashes, especially with opponents heading to the city.

President Macron met with students and stated that they would present their demands to him, which include addressing the state of school infrastructure and reforming the university admissions system, known as Parcoursup. The government has attempted to separate the legitimate demands of protesters from the acts of looting, burning, and ransacking that occurred on Saturday. Courts have already sentenced 217 individuals, half of whom were first-time offenders, for their roles in the events.

In response to the violence, Macron called for "the utmost severity" against violent acts, accusing "ultra-left" groups of attempting to "bring down the republic." Police have been instructed to maintain order on Saturday, with some areas, such as Lyon's city center and Paris, restricting demonstrations to specific routes. In Marseille, a union-organized demonstration has been permitted despite a ban on protests.

However, the capital will see the closure of major museums, including the Louvre, and the Art Basel art fair will be shortened on Saturday.

Nunez's deployment of additional security forces comes after criticism of the police's intelligence gathering and anticipation during the previous week's demonstrations. Human Rights Watch expressed concern over reports of children being severely injured by crowd-control weapons, emphasizing the importance of upholding the rule of law while ensuring peaceful and safe protests.

The violence has damaged France's image ahead of the presidential elections, which could mark a turning point in the country's modern history, with the government's debt burden also causing concern among investors. A new poll by Harris Interactive for M6/RTL revealed that Le Pen's support has surged to 33-35% in the first round of voting, with Jean-Luc Melenchon, the hard-left leader, likely to face her in the runoff, where Le Pen is expected to win with around 70% of the vote.