French President Emmanuel Macron has announced plans to ban demonstrations organised by groups deemed to lack legitimacy amid escalating unrest, following riots, looting and vandalism that left hundreds of shops ransacked in several French cities.

Speaking on Thursday, October 22, 2026, Macron said demonstrations organised by recognised groups could proceed, although authorities could change their routes to prevent further disorder and protect businesses and public buildings.

“The priority is a return to calm,” Macron said, adding that he would chair a defence council meeting to determine further measures ahead of nationwide demonstrations planned for Saturday.

The unrest intensified on October 17 during mass protests against rising living costs, which attracted more than half a million people. Violence and looting subsequently erupted in several cities, prompting authorities to tighten restrictions on public gatherings.

In Lyon, France’s third-largest city, between 200 and 300 shops were ransacked and looted, while a tourist office was set ablaze. Authorities banned demonstrations in the city on Saturday, with similar restrictions imposed in Marseille, Nice and Toulon. Other cities, including Grenoble, Rouen and Le Havre, also introduced restrictions on gatherings in central areas.

Luxury retailers were among the businesses affected by the unrest, with stores linked to brands including Céline, Burberry, Christian Dior Parfums and Louis Vuitton looted, damaged or targeted in Paris. In Marseille, the Hermès boutique was ransacked and is expected to remain closed for the foreseeable future, according to the company’s chief financial officer.

In Paris, a planned march starting at Place de la Bastille was authorised but barred from entering the city centre. A separate demonstration involving students and Yellow Vest protesters was not permitted.

The government also announced plans to deploy 20 per cent more police officers on Saturday than during the previous weekend’s demonstrations as authorities sought to prevent further violence.

A police ban on a student protest in Paris on Thursday was overturned by a court, allowing the gathering to proceed.

Macron blamed some of the disorder on people who had taken advantage of the demonstrations to loot and vandalise property, as well as what he described as far-left groups.

The demonstrations began last month in a high school in Créteil, south-east of Paris, over staff shortages and dilapidated buildings, and spread nationwide.

Those demonstrations have morphed into larger protests over soaring living costs, six months before next year’s presidential elections, which will choose Macron’s successor.