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French President Emmanuel Macron vowed Thursday to ban protests by “individuals or groups with no legitimate authority” as he blamed “ultra‑left groups” for riots and looting that have spread across his country.
Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Paris on Thursday, according to The Associated Press, ahead of larger demonstrations planned for the weekend.
“Last Saturday we had political and seditious acts by ultra‑left groups whose aim is to bring down the Republic,” Macron was quoted by Reuters as saying following a meeting with intelligence officials.
Businesses in central Paris have started boarding up their windows over concerns of violence on Saturday. Local authorities also told Reuters that protests planned for Saturday in Lyon have been banned. FRANCE COULD FACE EVEN WORSE DESTRUCTION WITH SECOND WEEKEND OF PLANNED RIOTS, STATE DEPT WARNS
Police officers block the street during a protest organized by student collectives and trade unions in Paris, France, on Oct. 22, 2026. (Reuters)
Macron said the strategy adopted for the coming days is to ban protests requested by “individuals or groups with no legitimate authority.”
“Where trade unions submit requests to hold demonstrations, prefects will examine them in accordance with the law, but alternative routes will be proposed” to protect city centers, businesses and public buildings, Macron said.
“The rules are simple, and I think they’re just common sense. The general recommendation is that there should be no demonstrations in the coming days,” he said. “For those who still want to protest, if they are trade unions, prefects will propose alternative routes.”
Organizers of the Paris protest on Thursday said an administrative court in the city overturned a ban issued by police after they challenged it. The Paris police prefecture previously said the ban was necessary, given the risk of street violence after groups of masked youth clashed with police forces, looted shops and torched cars over the weekend.
A fire burns as police officers in riot gear stand guard during civil unrest in Paris, France, the day after a national day of demonstrations against the cost of living and rising fuel prices on Oct. 18, 2026. (Reuters)
The protests began in France in September with calls for education reform, before expanding into larger anti‑government demonstrations that French officials say are being fueled by far‑left groups.
Protesters gathered peacefully and chanted in the southeastern part of Paris on Thursday while they were watched by a heavy police presence, the AP reported.
Riot police officers run across a street during protests in Paris, France, on Oct. 17, 2026. (Bruno Camillo/Reuters)
AMERICANS WARNED ABOUT PARIS TRAVEL AFTER VIOLENCE, LOOTING AND TEAR GAS-FILLED STREETS
Thursday’s planned protests were seen as a prelude to Saturday’s large demonstration, when activists from the “yellow vest” movement and the CGT labor union are expected to join.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Greg Norman is a reporter at Fox News Digital.