"Not the Time for Protests" – Macron Announces Ban on Demonstrations in France

French President Emmanuel Macron has announced that regional authorities will ban all demonstrations scheduled for the coming days, with the exception of those organized by trade unions, TASS reports.

"In the case of trade union organizations, prefects will propose alternative routes. If the demonstrations are not organized by trade unions, we will ban them wherever we can," Macron stated following a meeting with cabinet members regarding the upcoming protests. The President’s remarks were broadcast on the Élysée Palace’s X (formerly Twitter) account.

According to the French leader, "now is not the time for protests." "We all need a return to calm," he emphasized.

He blamed far-left groups for the unrest that took place on October 17. "Their goal is to destroy the Republic," Macron stressed.

On October 17, mass demonstrations took place in Paris and across France, protesting rising fuel prices and the decline in the public's purchasing power.

Organizers estimated that 800,000 people participated, while the Ministry of the Interior put the figure at 550,000—a number twice as high as the forecasts made by security service analysts. In several cities, the protests escalated into unrest and clashes with the police. Minister of the Interior Laurent Nuñez vowed that authorities would continue to pursue all those involved in the rioting and looting.