France Bans Illegitimate Protest Groups as Macron Blames Far-Left for Riots

A man waving a French national flag walks past a fire in Marseille, France, on Oct. 17, 2026. Thibaud Moritz /AFP via Getty Images

French President Emmanuel Macron said Thursday that “illegitimate” protests would ​be banned in the coming days and blamed “seditious” far-left groups, together with vandals, for last weekend’s ‌riots and looting.

Speaking after a meeting with senior ministers and intelligence chiefs, Macron said demonstrations organized by legitimate groups, such as trade unions, would be allowed, but could be diverted along alternative routes to protect businesses.

“Last Saturday we had political and ​seditious acts by ultra-left groups whose aim is to bring down the Republic,” Macron said.

Authorities across France are preparing for a fresh wave of protests following some of the worst ⁠urban unrest the country has seen in years.

All protests planned for Saturday in Lyon, France’s third-largest city, have been banned, local authorities ​said, amid fears of another weekend of violence.

France’s main ​student union, UNEF, has called for protests on Saturday, posting on X: “On October 24, we stay the course. Protest, demand, and win!”

The anti-establishment Yellow Vest movement, largely dormant in recent years after its high-profile protests over fuel prices and the cost of living beginning in 2018, has filed plans for a march through central Paris.

Businesses in central Paris have begun boarding up their shop windows in case of ​violence.

Luxury fashion store Hermes said it had stepped up security measures at its French stores.

A student protest organized for Thursday in Paris was banned, though central metro stations in the capital were shuttered by transit authorities in anticipation of possible violence from unauthorized gatherings.

France was left reeling by the violence that erupted on Oct. 17, which raised serious questions about ​the security services’ ability ⁠to keep order.

The government has accused far-left groups of stoking the ​unrest, while some politicians have accused ministers of failing to understand the extent of public anger or to do enough to address the cost-of-living crisis.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Reuters contributed to this report.