Paris, Lyon, Nice, Rouen, Toulon… Partial or total bans on demonstrations are increasing as October 24 approaches

Emmanuel Macron was clear, in a speech on Thursday October 22: “The general recommendation is no demonstrations in the days to come.” After the clashes and looting which punctuated the October 17 movement in several cities, conditions are toughening in view of new calls for social mobilization, particularly on a national scale on Saturday. Several prefects have issued orders limiting or prohibiting gatherings this weekend.

At the end of a security council at the Elysée on Thursday morning, Emmanuel Macron presented a new "doctrine" decided for the coming days, according to which only demonstrations organized at the request of unions can be authorized, while those requested "by people who have no legitimacy to do so (...) will be prohibited by the prefects". Processions deemed legitimate will be offered alternative routes to protect "our city centers and in particular our businesses and our buildings", added the President of the Republic.

On Wednesday, the Paris police headquarters had already decreed a ban on “any undeclared gathering in certain sectors” of the capital for the day of Thursday, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., in addition to the partial curfew in force since Monday. The areas concerned, detailed in a decree and in blue on the map below, include a large perimeter around the Elysée and the Champs-Elysées, the surroundings of other institutions and the six main stations of the capital.

The police headquarters had also banned a demonstration planned for Thursday afternoon at the call of Interfac Ile-de-France, which brings together students from university general assemblies. But on Thursday, the administrative court overturned this decision, allowing the rally to take place early in the afternoon.

But it is above all Saturday that is being scrutinized, while organizers are calling for it to be made an “act 2” of the October 17 movement. In Paris, the police headquarters authorized a demonstration called by the CGT between Bastille and Nation, but prohibited another procession, declared by Interfac and the yellow vests, between Bastille and Opéra.

In other cities, no gatherings will be allowed. In Lyon, "the prefect took the decision to prohibit by order any demonstration in the city" on Saturday, communicated the Rhône prefecture, without further details at this stage. France's third city saw 150 and 200 businesses totally or partially looted on October 17, while 20,000 demonstrators marched according to the prefecture.

In Nice, the Alpes-Maritimes prefecture has banned “all gatherings, processions and demonstrations” in the city center. In Rouen and Le Havre, the Seine-Maritime prefecture has issued orders prohibiting “all gatherings in certain sectors” on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

“Demonstrations, processions, parades and gatherings of a protest nature on public roads”, whether declared or not, will also be prohibited in part of downtown Toulon, Saturday from 11 a.m. to midnight, according to a decree from the Var prefecture.