France to deploy 70,000 police ahead of new protests

France plans to deploy 70,000 police nationwide to prepare for new protests this Saturday, following the worst urban violence in years that erupted during demonstrations a week ago. President Emmanuel Macron postponed a trip to Nigeria and Senegal amid the crisis and convened a meeting of his defense council of top ministers and officials.

The security personnel will be stationed across the country, according to interior minister Laurent Nunez, who warned of circulating calls for violence and looting on social media. The protests stem from school conditions and the rising cost of living, triggering a nationwide movement against the government. President Macron is set to meet with students who demanded the state of school infrastructure and an overhaul of the university admissions system.

The government attributes the protests to some students' legitimate demands but condemns the resulting violence and looting. Courts have already jailed 217 people for their roles in the events on Saturday, with justice minister Gerald Darmanin condemning ultra-left groups for attempting to bring down the republic. In response to criticism over police anticipation and intelligence gathering last week, 20% more security force members will be deployed this Saturday.

Human Rights Watch expressed concern over reports of children severely injured by crowd-control weapons, highlighting the impact of the violence on France's image ahead of elections that could be a turning point in its modern history. A new poll indicated Marine Le Pen leading the presidential elections with 33-35% support, followed by Jean-Luc Melenchon, who is set to host his party congress in Orleans, with thousands of supporters and concerns of potential clashes.