French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday that “illegitimate” protests would be banned in the coming days and blamed “seditious” ultra-left groups and vandals for last weekend’s riots and looting.
Speaking after a meeting with intelligence chiefs and senior ministers, Macron said demonstrations organised by groups such as trade unions would be allowed to go ahead but could be diverted along alternative routes to protect businesses.
“Last Saturday we had political and seditious acts by ultra-left groups whose aim is to bring down the Republic,” Macron said.
His comments came as authorities across France prepared for fresh protests following some of the country’s worst urban unrest in years.
Authorities in multiple cities had already banned protests planned across the country on Thursday.
The turmoil in Paris and other French cities has prompted a strong security response. Night curfews have been implemented in some areas of the French capital, as well as in other cities where calm has been restored.
Demonstrations planned Thursday in Paris, Lyon, Lille and Grenoble were banned, a move seen by some as an infringement on French people’s right to protest.
But high school and university student groups say they will continue to mobilize, even though the autumn school break started this week.
The Paris police prefecture said the ban was necessary given the risk of street violence that erupted over the weekend, when groups of masked youth clashed with police forces, looted shops and torched cars.
The ban in Paris will last until 8 p.m. local time and apply to areas including the Elysée presidential palace, both houses of parliament, and the city’s main train stations. Areas in downtown Paris which were severely hit by the looting are also covered.
