Le Pen congress, student protests and 70,000 police: France on edge

Paris, October 24 - France is deploying approximately 70,000 police nationwide as it prepares for new protests on Saturday following recent urban violence. The unrest began during anti-government demonstrations a week ago, which took a violent turn. Students protesting concerning school conditions sparked a nationwide movement fueled by the rising cost of living.

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez announced the deployment during a press conference in Paris. He warned of circulating calls for violence and looting on social media. The protests have occurred at a crucial time, six months before elections to replace President Emmanuel Macron. A recent poll suggests Marine Le Pen, the far-right candidate, is the frontrunner and her position has been strengthened by the recent events.

Le Pen is set to host her National Rally party congress in Orleans over the weekend, where thousands of supporters are expected. Local authorities are concerned about potential clashes with counter-protesters. President Macron met with student representatives on Friday but they insisted on continued protests until the government offers concrete solutions to their demands.

Offenders from the recent violence have been jailed, with 217 people, half new arrests, sent to prison by Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin. Macron called for "the utmost severity" against violent acts, blaming "ultra-left" groups for trying to "bring down the republic" during the protests. Authorities have increased security measures and imposed restrictions on protests.

In Orleans, protests will be banned from the city center, while in Lyon, central areas will be off-limits to demonstrators. In Paris, police altered the route of a union-led protest due to safety concerns. The restrictions have drawn criticism, with Amnesty International denouncing them as a "slide toward authoritarian practice" and Human Rights Watch expressing alarm over the use of crowd-control weapons against children.