France is deploying 70,000 police officers today as protesters return to the streets over rising living costs and struggling public services, a week after unrest left businesses looted and public buildings damaged.

According to Reuters, the deployment includes 10,000 more officers than last Saturday, as authorities seek to prevent another outbreak of violence.

The movement began in September over staff shortages at a high school southeast of Paris before spreading nationwide. Students demanding better education have been joined by workers and unions seeking higher wages and pensions.

More than half a million people demonstrated last Saturday. Around 3,000 shops across France were damaged or looted during the weekend, according to the Associated Press.

The destruction has affected both major retailers and smaller businesses. In Paris, shops were ransacked and scooters set alight, while rioters also targeted town halls in other cities. Government officials have promised assistance to affected businesses. washingtonpost.com

The government has also announced measures to address the education grievances that helped ignite the protests. Earlier this month, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced plans to deploy more than 3,000 substitute teachers to schools facing severe shortages. mia.mk

President Emmanuel Macron met student representatives on Friday. They said he promised changes to university admissions, but called for demonstrations to continue until concrete measures are announced. apnews.com

Meanwhile, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez is urging police to respond swiftly to disorder. Authorities accuse radical groups and opportunistic looters of exploiting the protests.

Soldiers are patrolling the Champs-Elysees in Paris, while shopkeepers have boarded up premises. Major cultural attractions, including the Louvre and Musée d’Orsay, are closed, along with more than 20 metro stations.

Restrictions on demonstrations remain in several cities.

Police efforts to move the main Paris march away from the city centre have drawn criticism from left-wing leader Jean-Luc Melenchon, who says last-minute changes make organising difficult.