Protesters block access to Louvre museum in Paris in support of demonstrations

Protesters blocked the entrance to the Louvre in Paris on Monday as French authorities scrambled to stem public discontent, which had fueled a series of mass demonstrations over a rampant cost-of-living crisis and school funding. Students posted outside the world-renowned museum unfurled a banner which read, quote, We're proud to announce that we're blocking the world's largest museum. The museum's management and union group said the protest was led by students from École du Louvre. Protests over the weekend spilled over into some of the worst violence in recent years as rioters hijacked what were meant to be peaceful demonstrations, incited chaos and unleashed mayhem in the streets. Some 1,800 people were arrested nationwide, with roughly half of them in the French capital, after rioters clashed with police forces, vandalized properties, looted stores, and set objects and vehicles alight. French President Emmanuel Macron ordered a security review as the country's interior minister admitted that the police had lost control during the weekend's unrest. Undeterred, the Yellow Vest Movement, which organized the weekend's rallies, called for a new round of protests on Saturday. The latest rallies, according to official figures, drew more than half a million people out onto the streets. Speaking late on Sunday, the French leader also renewed earlier vows to capture all those who engaged in criminal activity and hold them to account.