France bans non-union Saturday protests following widespread riots and looting

AKIPRESS.COM – President Emmanuel Macron announced that France will prohibit all non-union demonstrations this coming Saturday to prevent a repeat of recent vandalism, looting, and violence.

Non-union protests will be banned wherever possible, while trade unions will be permitted to march only along pre-approved police routes. Paris police and municipal authorities across France have already restricted demonstrations near government buildings and major landmarks, while luxury boutiques along the Champs-Élysées and nearby shopping districts have boarded up storefronts to prepare for potential unrest.

The nationwide demonstrations, which began in late September over school conditions, expanded into broader economic protests involving nearly 500,000 people last Saturday. Amid widespread rioting, shop ransacking, and the arson of Limoges City Hall, local mayors criticized police preparedness.

President Macron reiterated that local prefects will reject protest permits to restore public order, leading major events like Art Basel Paris to shorten their public schedules.