By Makini Brice
PARIS, Oct 23 (Reuters) – Businesses, cultural events and museums planned to close at the weekend despite curbs on demonstrations as French President Emmanuel Macron seeks to restore order a week after nationwide protests turned violent.
France’s main student union, UNEF, has called for rallies on Saturday, while the Yellow Vest movement, an anti-establishment force that emerged in 2018, filed plans this week for a march through central Paris.
Macron was due to meet student representatives later on Friday to discuss their plans but UNEF said their rallies, which grew from high school protests last month against teacher shortages and shabby facilities, would go ahead.
“Macron is trampling upon the freedom to protest in our country, and is spitting on the values of the republic he claims to defend,” the union said in an emailed statement.
TRADE UNION LEADER SAYS CURBING PROTESTS WILL NOT WORK
France is still reeling from the worst violence in years last weekend, when looting and riots took place on the fringes of nationwide protests, though overnight curfews in parts of Paris and other cities have since passed without major incident.
Macron blamed “seditious” ultra-left groups for the unrest – allegations the prominent far-left France Unbowed party denied – and said on Thursday that “illegitimate” protests would be banned in coming days. Demonstrations organised by groups such as trade unions would be allowed to proceed but could be diverted along alternative routes, he said.
Marylise Leon, the general secretary of the CFDT, one of the nation’s largest trade unions, said the measure would do little to restore calm, adding that it would be better for the government to make concrete proposals to address people’s anger.
“It’s counterproductive because there is a lot of anger, a lot of anger and a demand to be considered and to be listened to,” she told French broadcaster TF1. “It’s not for the president to decide who can legitimately request to protest.”
Workers, students and others are protesting budget cuts and calling for higher wages to help people meet high living costs. The government says it understands their concerns but needs to keep spending in check to contain rising borrowing costs.
FAR-RIGHT TO MEET IN ORLEANS WITH COUNTER-PROTESTS PLANNED
All protests planned for Saturday in Marseille and Lyon, France’s second- and third-largest cities, have been banned, local authorities said.
Despite the curbs, and what the justice minister said had been 2,700 arrests since Saturday, businesses, institutions and events were planning to close in case of more unrest.
The Marseille Chamber of Commerce urged businesses to shut on Saturday, while organisers of Art Basel Paris said the art fair would be shuttered all weekend. The Louvre and the Fondation Louis Vuitton will be closed on Saturday.
Orleans, in central France, was bracing for unrest, as the far-right National Rally was scheduled to have a party meeting, with thousands expected to hold demonstrations in opposition.
The interior ministry is due to unveil its security plans later on Friday. Macron is expected to hold a meeting on defence and security as well as meeting with student groups on Friday.
Soaring energy costs, pressure on household budgets and concerns over deteriorating public services have fuelled unrest among workers and younger voters, but the French government has little spare cash to address concerns.
The risk premium on French government debt over German bonds widened to its highest level in 15 years on Thursday, highlighting investor unease. Credit rating agency Moody’s is expected to announce a ratings action on France late on Friday.
(Reporting by Makini Brice, Dominique Vidalon and Alessandro Parodi in Paris and Charlotte Van Campenhout in Amsterdam; editing by Philippa Fletcher)
