Paris:French left-wing and green parties have filed an emergency appeal against restrictions on demonstrations, as authorities prepare to deploy 70,000 police officers and gendarmes nationwide on Saturday.
According to Anadolu Agency – English, the Ecologists, France Unbowed (LFI), the Socialist Party, the Communist Party, and several other political groups submitted the joint challenge to the Council of State. The parties are contesting President Emmanuel Macron's instructions regarding bans on demonstrations by groups deemed illegitimate and changes to union march routes without individual assessments.
The appeal arises amid increasing tensions over security measures implemented following violence and looting during last weekend's demonstrations. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez announced that Saturday's deployment will include local police and mobile units, supported by helicopters, armored vehicles, and water cannons. Some officers have been recalled from leave.
Authorities have identified online calls for looting and attacks on public buildings, including from radical far-left groups, and have vowed to take firm action against those responsible for violence. Territorial intelligence assessments suggest that 400,000 to 500,000 people could participate in the demonstrations.
High school student representatives have called for continued protests after meeting with Macron at the Elysee Palace. Nathanael Combary, head of Renouveau Lyceen, stated the meeting provided an opportunity for protesters to achieve concrete progress. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu is set to meet student organizations next Monday.
In Paris, unions have rejected a police proposal to alter the route of Saturday's procession. Organizers intend to gather at the Bastille as planned, stating they cannot secure an alternative route. Authorities have also approved aerial surveillance in Paris and extended an overnight curfew around Place de la Republique and Les Halles until Monday morning.
In Limoges, a curfew and a ban on gatherings of more than ten people are set to last through Monday. Restrictions also affect central areas of Lyon, Besancon, Clermont-Ferrand, and Laval. In Marseille, a union-organized march has been approved as an exception to broader restrictions.
Several museums and cultural venues in Paris and Lyon have announced closures for Saturday. A Paris Saint-Germain-Lyon football match was postponed due to demands on police resources. In Orleans, 3,000 police officers and gendarmes will be deployed as the far-right National Rally holds its congress alongside a counter-demonstration.
Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin reported that 232 people have been incarcerated following last weekend's violence, with more than 1,000 brought before judicial authorities.