France bans student protests in Paris and Lyon after 17 October violence

Paris bans a student march and restricts central zones

The Paris police prefecture banned a demonstration declared by Interfac IDF, an assembly of students from Île-de-France universities, for Thursday, 22 October. The planned route ran from boulevard de l'Hôpital to place de la Bastille. Police cited the organiser's inability to prevent abuses at gatherings on 13 and 17 October, and said the ban was needed to protect property and people. Interfac IDF can still challenge the decision before the administrative court. Talks the previous Friday, 16 October, had already been tense, because the group wanted its procession close to the seats of power and the prefecture refused.

A separate prefectural order bans gatherings and demonstrations in parts of central Paris on Thursday from 08:00 to 20:00. The listed areas include the Élysée, Matignon, the National Assembly and the Senate. Tourist sites such as the Champs-Élysées and the Louvre are covered, as are the department store district, Place d'Italie, Bastille, République, the Châtelet and Les Halles shopping zone, Île de la Cité and the Paris rail stations.

Lyon ban follows the 17 October violence

In Lyon, prefect Étienne Guyot banned a procession planned for Thursday afternoon, organised jointly by the student union Unef and the Nouveau Parti anticapitaliste (NPA). The route was to end at place Bellecour, where violence broke out on 17 October during a demonstration against the high cost of living. The prefecture said a branch of the tourist office was set on fire and destroyed. No agreement was reached on an alternative route.

“Given serious risks to public order and the current context, I have made the responsible choice to ban this gathering to prevent any excesses and guarantee everyone's safety.”

The prefect made the statement in a communiqué issued on Wednesday, 21 October.

Saturday bans in Normandy and Toulon

A new day of mobilisation is planned across France on Saturday, 24 October. The prefecture of Seine-Maritime has banned demonstrations in the city centres of Rouen and Le Havre on Saturday between 09:00 and 20:00. In Toulon, protest marches, processions and rallies are banned in the city centre on the same day. Authorities said the measures respond to the risk of disturbances after the violence and looting linked to the 17 October mobilisation.

Security deployment for Saturday

The Interior Ministry is due to detail the security plan for Saturday on Thursday. Authorities have already planned to deploy armoured vehicles, soldiers of the Sentinelle force and elite police and gendarmerie units.