Emmanuel Macron, the President of France, has instructed local authorities to prohibit Saturday's protests except for those organized by unions. This decision was made following widespread protests and recent violent incidents, with the aim of maintaining public order and "protecting businesses."
Reasons for the Decision
Macron stated in a security meeting attended by Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu and intelligence agencies that any requests for protests or gatherings by individuals who "lack legitimacy for this" will be rejected. He also noted that the aim of this action is to prevent incidents similar to those that occurred in France last week. At that time, hundreds of thousands of protesters took to the streets, resulting in incidents and destruction that caused damage to thousands of businesses and public buildings.
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New Protests and Their Consequences
Following recent events, calls for a new round of protests have been published online. There is a possibility that the protest movement could turn into a weekly event, similar to the Yellow Vests movement in 2018 and 2019. One of Macron's close associates stated that the President believes discussions should take place more in television studios, the press, and ultimately through voting, six months before the presidential elections.
Labor unions typically negotiate with local authorities before planned protests. Macron announced that for Saturday, authorities may propose "alternative routes" to ensure maximum security. He also stated that he would lead a meeting on Friday aimed at defending public security, after which new decisions would be announced.
Security Situation and Reactions
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez announced that special police units and a military unit usually deployed for anti-terror operations on French soil will be on standby this week. The government faced criticism last week for misjudging the number of protesters and consequently not deploying enough police forces to prevent criminal acts on the fringes of these protests.
Reports indicate that a protest planned by one of the major labor unions has been approved for Saturday in Paris, while all protests in areas such as Lyon, one of France's largest cities, have been declared prohibited.
