France will deploy approximately 70,000 police and security personnel nationwide Saturday as officials prepare for another wave of protests following some of the country’s worst urban violence in years. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez announced the deployment Friday, warning that calls for violence and looting were circulating on social media.

President Emmanuel Macron convened senior ministers and security officials to address the crisis and met with representatives of high school students whose initial demonstrations over school conditions have expanded into a broader movement against rising living costs. The students are demanding improvements to school infrastructure and changes to the Parcoursup university admissions system.

The government has sought to distinguish peaceful demonstrations from the looting, arson and vandalism that accompanied protests last weekend. Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin said courts had sentenced 217 people to prison over the unrest, approximately half of whom were first-time offenders. Macron called for the “utmost severity” against criminal acts Thursday and accused what he described as “ultra-left” groups of attempting to undermine the republic.

The latest demonstrations come six months before France’s presidential election, adding political pressure on Macron’s government. A Harris Interactive poll for M6 and RTL conducted after the violence placed National Rally leader Marine Le Pen at 33% to 35% in the first round. The poll also projected a runoff between Le Pen and hard-left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon, with Le Pen receiving approximately 70% in that hypothetical matchup.

Tensions are expected to be particularly high in Orleans, where Le Pen’s National Rally party is holding its congress this weekend. Between 20,000 and 30,000 opponents of the party were expected to demonstrate, but local authorities have barred the gathering from the city center. Nunez was scheduled to visit Orleans Friday to inspect security preparations.

Authorities have also imposed restrictions elsewhere. In Lyon, central areas will be off-limits to demonstrators, while Paris protesters will be confined to a designated route between Bastille and Nation squares. Marseille officials initially banned demonstrations but later authorized one union-organized march as an exception. They also reversed a decision to suspend all public transportation in the city Saturday.

Security forces will increase their deployment by about 20% compared with last weekend, following criticism of police intelligence gathering and preparations. Human Rights Watch researcher Eva Cosse raised concerns about reports of children suffering serious injuries from crowd-control weapons, while emphasizing that authorities must both protect the public and allow peaceful protests.

The unrest has also disrupted cultural activities in Paris. Leading museums, including the Louvre, are scheduled to close Saturday, and the Art Basel art fair is being cut short. Macron is also postponing a planned visit to Nigeria and Senegal later this month as his government responds to the unrest.