Chinese students in Paris hunker down as city braces for more mass protests

France anticipates further mass protests on Saturday, with authorities pledging to deploy 70,000 police and gendarmes across the nation, fearing a repetition of the violence and looting witnessed last weekend. Chinese students in Paris, who experienced these events for the first time, remain concerned about the potential impact of unrest on the country's future.

The protests, sparked by a high school student movement demanding better education funding, have disrupted studies at Paris' prestigious Sciences Po university. While many Chinese students, like Hannah Zhang, did not find the violence shocking, they are worried about the broader social, economic, and political implications for France.

Some students believe Chinese-language reports have overhyped the situation, while others feel safer in France compared to their experiences in the United States. Although the protests are not the primary concern for most students, they are worried that the unrest could bolster Marine Le Pen's chances in the upcoming presidential election.

A recent poll indicates that Le Pen's support has grown to 36%, up from 34% a week before. CGT, a major union, has called for a general strike on November 5, suggesting that the unrest may persist for an extended period.