Macron Escalates Confrontation with the Left, Bans Unorganised Protests
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday that protests not organised by trade unions would be banned in the coming days.
He accused “far-left groups” of being behind Saturday’s riots, claiming they had planned to “overthrow the Republic”.
“We have witnessed political, indeed seditious, actions carried out by organised far-left groups seeking to overthrow the Republic,” Macron said after a meeting at the Élysée Palace attended by all the intelligence services, which have been accused of failing to anticipate the scale of the mobilisation.
Macron announced that he would chair a meeting with key ministers on Friday ahead of demonstrations expected over the weekend, after earlier protests descended into some of the worst violence France has seen in years.
“A defence council meeting will be held tomorrow, Friday, under my chairmanship, and we will take further decisions,” he said, adding that only union-organised demonstrations would be permitted across the country on Saturday.
Local authorities had earlier decided to ban all demonstrations in Lyon, France’s third-largest city, on Saturday, ahead of nationwide protests planned for that day.
On Wednesday, Macron renewed his call for a firm response to those responsible for violence during protests against the high cost of living. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu met trade unions to discuss protesters’ demands and ensure the safety of demonstrations.
During a visit to Qatar as part of a Gulf tour, Macron said “the state’s hand must not tremble” when punishing rioters. He also maintained that the security measures introduced by the authorities had helped restore calm.
His comments follow violence, looting and vandalism in French cities last Saturday on the sidelines of demonstrations against the high cost of living, prompting widespread criticism of the government’s handling of the unrest.
The Paris police prefecture announced a ban on gatherings and demonstrations on Thursday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. in areas encompassing the Élysée Palace, the prime minister’s office, the National Assembly and the Senate, as well as the Louvre Museum and the Champs-Élysées.
Authorities also imposed night-time curfews in parts of Marseille and Toulouse in an effort to prevent further violence.
Responding to criticism, Macron reiterated his rejection of all forms of violence against people or property. He ruled out direct foreign intervention in the unrest but condemned what he described as “foreign information manipulation”.
