France deploys 70,000 police ahead of protests, Paris museums close

Paris, Oct 24 (UNI) France deployed 70,000 police and gendarmes nationwide on Saturday and closed several major Paris museums as authorities prepared for fresh protests, a week after widespread looting, arson and attacks on public buildings exposed security vulnerabilities and increased pressure on President Emmanuel Macron's government. The Louvre, Orsay Museum, Picasso Museum and Grand Palais were among the cultural institutions closed amid fears of renewed violence. Organisers of Art Basel, a major contemporary art fair in Paris, cancelled its weekend programme after opening on Friday. In Orléans, about 110 km south of Paris, authorities prepared for a major anti-far-right…