French President Emmanuel Macron vowed on Thursday to ban protests by groups lacking legitimate authority, blaming ultra-left factions for the riots and looting that have spread across the country. The announcement comes as thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Paris, according to The Associated Press, ahead of larger demonstrations scheduled for the weekend.
Macron stated that the strategy for the coming days involves prohibiting demonstrations requested by individuals or groups with no legitimate authority. He explained that where trade unions submit requests, prefects will examine them in accordance with the law but propose alternative routes to protect city centers, businesses, and public buildings. The President characterized the rules as common sense, noting that the general recommendation is for there to be no demonstrations in the coming days.
Following a meeting with intelligence officials, Macron was quoted by Reuters as saying that "Last Saturday we had political and seditious acts by ultra-left groups whose aim is to bring down the Republic." The President linked these acts to the broader unrest that began in September with calls for education reform before expanding into larger anti-government demonstrations. French officials assert that these protests are being fueled by far-left groups.
The Associated Press reported that protesters gathered peacefully in the southeastern part of Paris on Thursday while being watched by a heavy police presence. Organizers said a local administrative court struck down the police ban on their march after they filed a legal challenge. Earlier, the Paris police prefecture had justified the restriction by citing fears of street violence, including clashes between masked youth and officers, shop looting, and car torching during the previous weekend.
Businesses in central Paris have started boarding up their windows over concerns of violence on Saturday, Reuters reported. Local authorities also informed Reuters that protests planned for Saturday in Lyon have been banned. The State Department warned that France could face even worse destruction with a second weekend of planned riots.
Thursday's protests are seen as a prelude to Saturday's major demonstration, when activists from the yellow vest movement and the CGT labor union are expected to join. The yellow vest movement previously shook France with demonstrations over fuel prices in 2018 and 2019.