Macron warns some protests will be banned

{"text":[[{"start":7.16,"text":"President Emmanuel Macron has warned that the government will ban protests that are not organised by legitimate groups such as unions to prevent a repeat of the rioting and looting that erupted across France last weekend."}],[{"start":19,"text":"Limited curfews in areas of Paris and other big cities have broadly succeeded in quietening unrest in recent days. But authorities are bracing for another day of potentially large protests on Saturday as a movement that started with high school students several weeks ago morphs into a wider wave of anger over the cost of living and the Macron presidency."}],[{"start":39.08,"text":"The government has promised a “massive” police deployment and signalled that, if needed, soldiers could be sent to guard transport hubs or sensitive sites, to free up police resources."}],[{"start":49.44,"text":"“When requests to hold demonstrations are made by people who have no legitimacy to do so, prefects will ban them because now is not the time, because we want a return to calm,” Macron said of the approach that will be used ahead of Saturday."}],[{"start":62.56,"text":"Unions’ requests to demonstrate will be assessed by local authorities and alternative routes for marches may be proposed “to protect city centres, businesses and public buildings”, he said."}],[{"start":72.56,"text":"“Where they are not organised by trade unions, we will ban them wherever we can.”"}],[{"start":null,"text":"

"}],[{"start":78.04,"text":"Since last weekend, authorities in some cities have already imposed targeted and temporary bans on protests with the aim of ensuring “public order”, such as in Marseille and Paris."}],[{"start":88.32,"text":"But by Thursday evening, local authorities announced protest bans in many of France’s biggest cities, such as Marseille, Lyon and Nice. A union-led protest will be permitted in Paris, following a frequently used route from Place de la République to Place de la Nation in the east of the city."}],[{"start":104.9,"text":"This approach is far more restrictive than usual in France, where the right to protest is protected under the constitution. Éric Coquerel, a far-left member of parliament, criticised the decisions as “an attack on freedom” that would only worsen security problems."}],[{"start":119.84,"text":"The government has been racing to prevent a repeat of scenes that shocked the country and grabbed global attention, including fiery condemnation from US President Donald Trump."}],[{"start":128.88,"text":"French officials admitted that they botched the police response last Saturday when an inadequate deployment was overwhelmed as peaceful protests degenerated into riots and looting. About 3,000 stores were looted, and 2,300 people were arrested on Saturday alone."}],[{"start":145.46,"text":"Macron again said the peaceful demonstrators were not responsible for the unrest, blaming “ultra-leftist groups” for committing “seditious acts”. They were later joined by opportunistic looters, he said."}],[{"start":156.88,"text":"The town hall of Limoges was set ablaze by such “ultra-left” assailants, officials said, with the first suspect arrested on Tuesday."}],[{"start":165.3,"text":"The unrest has piled more pressure on Macron and his minority government just as it is facing a looming battle over its unpopular deficit-cutting budget proposal and increasingly nervous markets."}],[{"start":177.04,"text":"A bond market sell-off has pushed France’s 10-year borrowing costs above 5 per cent for the first time since 2002. A fresh bout of selling on Thursday pushed the additional interest rate that France pays relative to haven German debt above 1.7 percentage points, its highest since the Eurozone debt crisis."}],[{"start":196.32,"text":"Antonio Fatás, an economics professor at Insead business school, said France faced a “catastrophic” mix of wide deficits and political paralysis."}],[{"start":205.96,"text":"The hope, he added, was that the government could withstand protests and force through a 2027 budget that improves public finances. “At the minimum, the next month is going to be hell for volatility in French bonds,” he added."}],[{"start":219.44,"text":"The unrest also risks disrupting tourism, a crucial economic engine, with some hotels reporting cancellations. Several of the capital’s biggest museums, such as the Louvre and the Musée d’Orsay, will close on Saturday."}],[{"start":232.92,"text":"Art Basel Paris, a prestigious art fair held this week at the Grand Palais, announced the cancellation of its weekend opening. The fair had its VIP previews from Tuesday to Thursday, when participating galleries make most of their sales, and Friday to Sunday would have been for the general public."}],[{"start":249.26,"text":"In France, protests are permitted by default, although the government can ban them when there is a serious threat to public order. Such bans are subject to legal appeal."}],[{"start":259,"text":"Organisers must notify authorities of when and where they intend to demonstrate ahead of time. With labour unions there is an established system of negotiation and planning over routes and security that usually helps ensure peaceful demonstrations."}],[{"start":272.58,"text":"The October 17 demonstrations that degenerated into chaos were not organised by national labour unions, but emerged from a grassroots social media campaign over the high cost of living, before being joined by student and leftwing activist groups."}],[{"start":287.66,"text":"Rioters clashed with police in central Lyon in a pitched battle that lasted for hours last week. A historic building where the office of tourism was located was burned to the ground, and hundreds of businesses were damaged or looted."}],[{"start":301.9,"text":"A key test this weekend will also be whether security can be maintained in Orléans, a city along the Loire River in central France."}],[{"start":310.26,"text":"Marine Le Pen’s far-right party, the Rassemblement National, is holding its party conference there with 15,000 attendees expected over two days. Leftwing parties and activists have called for counter-protests, which the local prefect said could be attended by up to 30,000 people."}],[{"start":327.58,"text":"Additional reporting by Josh Spero and Josh Noble"}],[{"start":330.9,"text":""}]],"url":"https://audio.ftcn.net.cn/album/a_1792726232_8544.mp3"}