Macron: Many protests to be banned in the coming days

 

TT-AFP-AP

 

Published 12:24 | Updated 12:53

 

Police officers at an H&M store in Lyon that was partially smashed up this past weekend. Photo: Laurent Cipriani/AP/TT

All demonstrations not organized by trade unions are to be banned in France, according to President Emmanuel Macron.

“We want to return to calm,” Macron told French media.

Measures are being stepped up following the riot-like protests in France. In a statement to the media at the Élysée Palace in Paris, Macron said that any demonstrations planned for the coming days that are not organized by trade unions will be prohibited, French media report.

“Wherever there is an intention to demonstrate, and where demands are being put forward by individuals who lack any legitimacy to do so, those demonstrations will be banned by the prefects. Now is not the right time. We want to return to calm,” Macron said, according to *Le Parisien*.

“It’s a matter of common sense. The general recommendation is that no demonstrations should take place over the next few days. When they are not organized by trade unions, we will ban them wherever we can,” he continued.

Earlier on Thursday, authorities in Lyon—France’s third-largest city—announced a total ban on all demonstrations this Saturday. According to the prefecture for the Rhône region, where Lyon is located, the decision was made in light of the events that took place on October 17. 

Lyon and several other French cities, including Paris, experienced riot-like protests and the looting of shops over the past weekend. In Lyon, between 150 and 200 shops were looted and a tourist office was set on fire, according to the city's mayor. 200 people were arrested by police in the city.

Demonstrations that had been planned for other cities—including Paris—as early as Thursday have also been banned.