France protests: 70,000 police deployed as Paris closes major museums

France prepares for protests as police deploy 70,000 officers. Credit: LA X Paris authorities have deployed 70,000 police and gendarmes for a new day of demonstrations on Saturday, October 24, in an attempt to avoid a repeat of last weekend's unrest. Shop owners in the capital have boarded up windows and protected their businesses, while prominent museums in Paris have closed their doors.

Demonstrations are planned in multiple cities, but authorities have prohibited gatherings in certain areas due to concerns of additional disorder. The security measures follow clashes and looting on October 17, when masked groups smashed shop windows, set vehicles ablaze, and attacked public buildings. According to the Associated Press, around 500,000 people participated in demonstrations across France the previous weekend. Shops block Champs-Elysées and other Parisian neighborhoods as protests loom on October 24.