The key facts
- The curfew in Paris and Lyon has been extended for the third consecutive night: from 23:00 on Wednesday to 6:00 on Thursday
- In Paris, gatherings are banned in several districts from 20:00 to 6:00, as well as a student demonstration on Thursday
- New 'yellow vest' demonstrations are being prepared for Saturday; Prime Minister Lecornu promised a 'massive' police deployment
Extension of restrictions
The authorities of Paris and Lyon on Wednesday extended the curfew in certain districts of both cities for the third consecutive night after violence and looting during nationwide demonstrations. In Paris, the restrictions prohibit adults and minors from being in designated zones around Place de la République and Les Halles from 23:00 on Wednesday to 6:00 on Thursday, the police prefecture reported on the X platform. In a separate decision, gatherings and demonstrations are banned in several districts of Paris from 20:00 on Wednesday to 6:00 on Thursday.
Ban on the student demonstration
The Paris police also banned a student demonstration scheduled for Thursday, citing the organizers' inability to prevent riots at previous gatherings. The action was announced by Interfac IDF, which calls itself the general assembly of students of the universities of the Île-de-France region; the route was to run from Boulevard de l'Hôpital to Place de la Bastille. The prefecture called the ban necessary to protect people and property, pointing to the riots during the gatherings of October 13 and 17 and the risks identified for Thursday.
Decisions in Lyon and context
In Lyon, the prefect of the Rhône department, Étienne Guillot, also extended the curfew and the ban on gatherings, the TV channel BFMTV reported. The curfew there is in effect from 23:00 on Wednesday to 6:00 on Thursday — two hours later than the previous restrictions. Restrictions in France are being introduced in a number of cities after riots during the October 17 protests against the rising cost of living and deteriorating education conditions.
Preparations for Saturday
The restrictions were introduced amid preparations for new 'yellow vest' demonstrations on Saturday. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu promised a 'massive' police deployment, and Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said that security measures would be revised to increase police mobility and responsiveness. The 'yellow vest' organizers submitted a march plan in Paris from Place de la Bastille to Place de l'Opéra, but the police have not yet confirmed the route, according to BFMTV.
