Paris has extended a partial curfew that limits movement in key areas of the city until Monday, following a wave of riots and looting that erupted during last weekend’s protests over the cost of living and school conditions. The curfew now covers Place de la République and the Les Halles shopping district from 23:00 local time until 06:00 the next morning.
In Marseille, authorities have suspended public transport on Saturday and imposed a curfew for the entire population from 23:00 to 05:00, after the city suffered some of the worst violence and damage to over 500 businesses. Lyon has taken a similar step, banning all protests for the weekend and closing its main streets to prevent a repeat of last week’s unrest.
The Louvre, Orsay and Picasso museums will also be closed on Saturday as officials anticipate further demonstrations. President Emmanuel Macron has said that only authorised union demonstrations will be permitted on Saturday in areas where protests have not been completely banned.
Interior Minister Jean‑Didier Berger announced that police deployments would be increased by 20% compared to last weekend, after the government was accused of being blindsided by the scale of the unrest. Gérald Darmanin reported that 2,700 people have been arrested across France, with more than 1,000 appearing in court, and 217 individuals already jailed following fast‑track trials.
Macron warned that “political and even seditious acts organised by far‑left groups” would be banned, and he criticised the gilets jaunes movement for its role in the violence. The unrest comes as Macron enters the final months of his presidency, with elections scheduled for 18 April and 1 May next year.
Authorities are monitoring the situation closely and have called for calm, while Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu promised a “massive” police deployment to handle any unrest this weekend.
