France is experiencing another day of protests amid a heavy police presence

Thousands of people took to the streets of France this Saturday for another day of protests amid a heavy police presence and restrictions on some gatherings, following the violence that occurred last week.

The government of President Emmanuel Macron, who will leave office in May, is seeking to prevent further scenes of violence and looting like those that occurred during previous demonstrations, which drew international attention.

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez reported early this afternoon that 135 people had been arrested and that security forces had seized various items, including metal balls, fireworks and a katana.

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Nuñez had warned on Friday that the authorities would be "uncompromising" and announced a security operation involving 70,000 officers, elite police units, soldiers from the Sentinelle mission, armored gendarmerie vehicles and helicopters.

In Lyon, security forces used tear gas grenades to disperse a group of about 150 people who were attempting to block traffic in an area where authorities had banned gatherings.

The government attributes the earlier riots to far-left groups who were reportedly joined by criminals who took advantage of the protests to loot stores.