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French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday that “illegitimate” protests would be banned in the coming days. He blamed “insurrectionary” far-left groups and vandals for last weekend’s unrest and looting, AnewZ reports. Authorities are preparing for new demonstrations on Saturday.
Macron spoke after meeting intelligence chiefs and senior ministers, saying: “Last Saturday, we faced political and insurrectionary actions by far-left groups. Their aim is to overthrow the republic.” Reuters reported the remarks.
The president said demonstrations organized by groups such as trade unions would be allowed, although their routes could be changed to protect businesses. Macron will also chair a defense council meeting on Friday to discuss further measures.
2,700 people detained
Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin said on Thursday that about 2,700 people had been detained since Saturday, and more than 1,000 had appeared in court. He said 217 had been jailed following expedited proceedings, and the figure was “continuing to rise rapidly.”
Darmanin told journalists outside Fleury-Mérogis prison near Paris that half of those jailed had no prior convictions and that most were men aged 18 to 25.
Some lawyers have criticized the expedited hearings, accusing the government of pressuring judges to impose harsher sentences. Two people have also been detained in connection with the arson attack on Limoges city hall, according to French officials and media.
Demonstrations restricted in several cities
In Lyon, France’s second-largest city, local authorities banned all protests planned for Saturday. Between 200 and 300 shops were looted in the city last weekend. Restrictions on demonstrations in central areas have also been imposed in several cities, including Grenoble, Rouen, Le Havre and Toulon.
A student protest planned for Thursday in Paris was banned, but an emergency court later overturned the ban, AFP reported. Transport authorities closed metro stations in the city center over the possibility of unauthorized gatherings.
UNEF, the main student union, has called for rallies on Saturday, while the Yellow Vests movement has sought permission to march through central Paris. Organizers will be allowed to begin their march at Bastille in the east of the city but barred from entering the center, AFP reported. The Interior Ministry plans to deploy 20% more police than last weekend.
Shops in central Paris have begun boarding up their windows to protect them, while luxury goods group Hermès has stepped up security at its stores in France, Reuters reported. No major incidents occurred during the third consecutive night of local curfews.
Trade unions are also planning a nationwide strike on November 5 over the cost of living and cuts to public services. Talks with Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu ended without agreement.
Protests affect markets
The unrest is also affecting markets, Reuters reported. On Thursday, the yield on French 10-year government bonds exceeded that on comparable U.S. bonds for the first time since 2013.
More than half a million people took part in protests in France on October 17. Violence on the fringes of the demonstrations became one of the country’s worst bouts of urban unrest in recent years, raising questions about security services’ ability to maintain order.
The protests began last month over staff shortages in schools and later grew into a broader movement against sharply rising energy prices, pressure on household budgets and deteriorating public services.
