What happened
French President Emmanuel Macron has announced that "illegitimate" protests will be banned in the coming days, citing the role of "seditious" ultra-left groups and vandals in recent riots and looting across France. The decision comes as authorities prepare for fresh demonstrations across the country, with multiple cities already banning protests planned for Thursday.
The French leader stated that demonstrations organized by groups such as trade unions would be allowed to proceed, but could be diverted along alternative routes to protect businesses. Macron's comments followed a meeting with intelligence chiefs and senior ministers, during which he condemned the actions of ultra-left groups as "political and seditious acts" aimed at bringing down the Republic.
Authorities in several cities, including Paris, Lyon, Lille, and Grenoble, have banned demonstrations planned for Thursday, citing the risk of street violence. Night curfews have been implemented in some areas, and the Paris police prefecture has announced a ban on protests in areas such as the Élysée presidential palace and main train stations.
Despite the bans, high school and university student groups have vowed to continue mobilizing, with some calling for a reform of the university admissions system and others protesting against underfunded schools and staff shortages. The demonstrations, which first erupted last month over a lack of staff at a high school in Créteil, have since spread nationwide and morphed into larger protests over soaring living costs.
The government has faced criticism for its handling of the situation, with some seeing the bans as an infringement on the right to protest. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has announced a "massive" security operation planned for Saturday to prevent a repeat of the violence, while union representatives have called for private- and public-sector employees to join a big day of action scheduled for November 5.
