Macron Banned All Demonstrations Except Trade Union Ones

Macron announced his decision on October 22 after a meeting with law enforcement officials. According to him, non-union organized protests will be banned wherever possible. Trade unions, however, will only be allowed to hold marches along specific routes agreed upon with the police.

On Thursday, Paris police banned demonstrations from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM in several city districts, including near the presidential palace, on the Champs-Élysées, and close to other tourist attractions. Law enforcement explained their decision by the risk of violent acts. In these areas, official permission is required to hold demonstrations. Restrictions were also introduced in some other French cities.

The curfew, introduced in certain districts of Paris and other major cities, generally helped stabilize the situation in recent days. However, authorities are preparing for a new wave of protests on Saturday, which could again become widespread.

Protests began in late September with demonstrations by high school students dissatisfied with the situation in schools. Among their main reasons were a shortage of teachers, poor condition of school buildings, and overcrowded curricula. Later, people unhappy with the general deterioration of living conditions joined the protests.

Last Saturday, approximately half a million people participated in demonstrations across France. Some protests were accompanied by unrest, looting of stores, and attacks on municipal services. In Limoges, the city hall building was set on fire. The first suspect in this arson was apprehended two days ago.

Mayors of several cities, including Paris, Limoges, Marseille, and Lyon, criticized law enforcement agencies for failing to prevent the riots. Among the reasons they cited were a shortage of police officers and insufficient training.

Macron stated that local authorities would ban demonstrations for which applications are submitted by individuals without legal grounds to do so. According to the president, it is now necessary to restore calm in the country.

In Paris, luxury goods stores are preparing for possible new unrest. The flagship Louis Vuitton store on the Champs-Élysées installed metal grilles on its windows. The windows of the Christian Dior Couture store on Avenue Montaigne—one of the main streets for luxury shopping in the eighth arrondissement of the capital—were also protected.

On Rue Saint-Honoré, near the presidential palace, many windows and doors were boarded up with wooden planks. Last Saturday, a crowd broke into local shops and looted them, including Burberry boutiques, and Christian Dior and Guerlain perfume stores. The Salomon sportswear store on the nearby Boulevard de la Madeleine was also affected and remains closed to this day.

The Art Basel Paris art fair reduced its public program to one day—Friday. It will be closed on Saturday and Sunday.

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