Macron meets intelligence chiefs as France prepares for larger police deployment ahead of Saturday protests

France is preparing for a new wave of nationwide demonstrations scheduled for Saturday, with the interior ministry saying the number of law-enforcement officers deployed will be 20 percent higher than the level used on October 17. "We are at a deployment level that is 20 percent higher than it was last week," Interior Ministry spokesperson Jean-Didier Berger told BFMTV. The reinforcement will include soldiers from the Sentinelle anti-terrorism force, elite police units such as RAID, GIGN and BRI, as well as helicopters and armoured vehicles.

President Emmanuel Macron met with the country's intelligence services at the Élysée on Thursday as authorities finalized security arrangements.

Luxury brand Hermès reported that it has tightened security at its French stores after protests, including a looting incident at its Marseille boutique, which the company's chief financial officer said will not reopen "anytime soon."

Left-wing party France Unbowed announced it would attend a meeting with Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu to demand an apology and explanations for the recent unrest, accusing the government of shifting blame onto the party.

Foreign ministries in Thailand, Malaysia and China issued travel advisories urging their citizens to monitor the situation in France closely and consider postponing non-essential trips.

Paris authorities banned protests in several key locations, including the Élysée, the parliamentary buildings, the Louvre and the Champs-Élysées, from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Thursday.