Authorities in Lyon, France’s third-largest city, have banned every demonstration scheduled for Saturday after riots and widespread vandalism during protests on 17 October. The French news agency AFP reported the decision. The prefecture of the Rhône region, where Lyon is located, said the prefect acted because of those events.
Mayor Gregory Doucet said chaos reigned for several hours. Between 150 and 200 shops were looted, and a tourist office was set on fire.
Protests that began peacefully over the cost of living and conditions in schools escalated into riots, clashes with police and widespread vandalism. Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets across France last weekend, and further demonstrations have been announced elsewhere in the country for the coming Saturday.
Nationwide, around 2,000 businesses were damaged. In Paris alone, the capital’s chamber of commerce said between 300 and 400 businesses were vandalized.
France’s Ministry of the Interior said nearly 2,400 people were arrested, while just under 1,000 police officers and gendarmes were injured. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez later acknowledged that police had lost control in several French cities. He offered his resignation to President Emmanuel Macron, who refused it and cited the need for continued leadership of the police effort.