French authorities ban some student protests

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The turmoil in Paris and other French cities has prompted a harsh crackdown from the government.

Night curfews have been implemented in some areas of the French capital, as well as in other cities where a level of calm has been restored.

Protests planned for Thursday in Paris, Lyon, Lille and Grenoble were banned.

But secondary school and university student groups say they will continue to mobilise, even though the autumn school break started this week.

The Paris police prefecture said the ban was necessary given the risk of street violence that erupted over the weekend, when groups of masked youth clashed with riot police, looted shops and torched cars.

Thursday’s planned protests were seen as a prelude to planned protests on Saturday, when activists from the “yellow vest” movement, whose demonstrations over fuel prices shook France in 2018 and 2019, are expected to join.

Five French union confederations announced on October 5 that there would be a national day of strikes and demonstrations of public and private sector workers, pensioners and young people on Thursday November 5 against the government’s 2027 budget.