Lyon Bans Demonstrations as France Braces for New Protests

French authorities have prohibited all demonstrations in Lyon on Saturday, October 24, as the country prepares for another weekend of protests led by students and the Yellow Vest movement. The decision follows rioting and looting on the fringes of large peaceful rallies, while the government plans to deploy soldiers on French streets amid growing unrest over public services and living costs.

Lyon's prefecture announced the demonstration ban on Thursday, October 22, according to France 24. In Paris, police also prohibited a student demonstration planned for Thursday, citing organizers' inability to prevent violence and vandalism, an AFP source said.

French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu was scheduled to meet Thursday with mayors from cities severely affected by the previous weekend's unrest, including Paris, Marseille and Lyon. The meetings come as authorities prepare for further demonstrations and assess the impact of recent violence.

The protests began in late September when high school students in Créteil, a suburb of Paris, challenged teacher shortages, overcrowded classrooms and deteriorating school facilities. The movement subsequently expanded into broader opposition to the cost of living and demands for increased funding for public schools and public services, according to AFAR's October 20 report.

French newspaper Le Monde reported that approximately 1,750 demonstrations took place nationwide on Saturday, October 17, drawing about 800,000 people. The Yellow Vest movement, which previously organized weekly protests for 19 months between 2018 and 2020, has joined the latest mobilization.

Pauline, a 21-year-old geography student demonstrating in Marseille, described the movement as a struggle to preserve access to essential services.

"We fight every day to keep our public services running and to secure our right to health care and education, and above all so that everyone has the same access to all of it."

Her remarks reflect demands for more equitable access to health care and education, which have become central themes alongside concerns about household expenses.

Paris tour guide Lily Heise, who has lived in the capital for more than two decades, reported a different experience in Montmartre during the October 17 demonstrations. Although major rallies affected parts of the Right Bank, she said some neighborhoods continued operating normally.

"It was perfectly fine. The area was busy with tourists and Parisians, but there was no violence or trouble at all."

According to AFAR, demonstrations in Paris on October 17 traveled across the Right Bank from Place de la République toward Place de Clichy. The Left Bank, including the 5th, 6th, 7th, 13th, 14th and 15th arrondissements, remained largely unaffected at the time of publication.

Authorities imposed overnight restrictions from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. around Place de la République and the Les Halles area beginning October 19. Paris also experienced substantial public transportation disruption during the October 17 demonstrations, when more than 25 metro stations closed and bus services across parts of the Right Bank were affected.

As of Thursday morning, October 22, Bastille, Saint-Paul, Chemin Vert, Campo-Formio, Saint-Marcel, Quai de la Rapée, Gare d'Austerlitz and Bréguet-Sabin were among the closed metro stations. Police had also ordered République and Châtelet–Les Halles stations closed overnight through Friday, October 23.

Student groups and the Yellow Vest movement planned another round of demonstrations for Saturday, October 24, with organizers seeking permission to march on Paris's Right Bank. The Yellow Vest movement also announced plans for October 31, although details remained limited.

Further labor action is expected in the coming weeks. A major French strike involving state-owned railway operator SNCF is scheduled for November 5, with students and teachers being encouraged to participate. Unions in Spain and Portugal have called an Iberian-wide strike for November 11, while a major Italian union has announced a general strike for November 20, according to AFAR's report.