France braces for weekend protests as Macron meets top officials
France is gearing up for more protests this weekend after a week of unrest in several cities.
President Macron is meeting with top officials to figure out how to restore calm, while only union-led marches are being allowed: places like Marseille and Lyon have banned other demonstrations for safety.
Meanwhile, far-right candidate Marine Le Pen is the frontrunner in a new poll ahead of the presidential election.
Macron blames ultra-left groups, 217 jailed
Macron is blaming "ultra-left" groups for much of the chaos and wants tougher action against them.
217 people, half of them first-time offenders, were sent to prison over the events on Saturday.
High schoolers protesting poor school conditions and frustration over rising living costs are also adding to the tension, with students saying they're not sure if government promises will lead to real change.
Extra security forces are being sent out, and Paris protests now have stricter routes to keep things under control.