Major museums in Paris closed and authorities deployed a sizable police force for a round of new protests Saturday across France, hoping to prevent a repeat of last week's violent unrest that shocked the country.

Scenes of looting, burned-out cars and attacks on public buildings left the impression that the government had lost control, as groups of masked vandals targeted businesses in Paris and other city centers.

Interior Minister Laurent Nuez said as many as 70,000 officers will be deployed nationwide, along with helicopters, armored vehicles and water cannons.