France deploys 70,000 police and gendarmes as tens of thousands protest living costs and inequality; clashes and arrests reported

France deployed 70,000 police and gendarmes on Saturday as tens of thousands protested against rising living costs and inequality, a week after widespread unrest, Reuters reported.

Clashes broke out in Lyon and Marseille, and police used tear gas in several cities. Authorities said 135 people had been arrested by early afternoon.

In Paris, shops were boarded up, more than 20 metro stations were closed, and major museums, including the Louvre, shut down.