Interministerial meeting on demonstrations

An interministerial crisis cell was held last night to prepare for demonstrations in France that the interior minister has labeled "very high risk." The demonstrations are scheduled for Saturday, and President Emmanuel Macron has once again urged prefects not to permit processions in city centers on that day.

Proposed route faces legal challenge

The Paris police prefect proposed a demonstration route from porte de Bagnolet to porte de Charenton, but nine trade unions of workers and students challenged this plan in court. They are seeking a "partial ban on demonstrating" to be issued quickly, allowing them time to contest it in court before the planned demonstration.

School remains closed after fire

The Nelson-Mandela high school in Nantes, which was set on fire a month ago, will remain closed at the start of the school year. It will not reopen during the Toussaint holiday, and classes will continue online. A first-year student, Rihad, expressed concern about the difficulty of preparing for the end-of-year baccalaureate due to missed classes.

School reopening delayed

The school can only reopen on November 16, but in a degraded mode, with many areas needing to be secured. The dormitory will remain closed as its roof must be completely replaced, further complicating the return of students and staff to the campus.

US issues security alert

The United States issued a "security alert" for its citizens ahead of the demonstrations in France. The US embassy in France warned of previous gatherings that were "violent," involved "uncontrolled looting," and included "attacks on the police," which "responded with tear gas."

Curfew and crowd warnings

The embassy also warned against curfews that are sometimes still in place and recommended avoiding areas of large gatherings. It advised citizens to be cautious if they find themselves "unexpectedly near large gatherings," emphasizing the potential risks of attending or being near such events.

Legal challenge to demonstration ban

Nine trade unions of workers and students attacked the Paris police prefecture in court yesterday, seeking a "partial ban on demonstrating" to be published as soon as possible on Saturday in Paris, between the places of the Bastille and the Nation. They wanted time to contest it in court before the administrative court.

Refusal to be outmaneuvered

The Île-de-France intersyndical "refuses to fall into the trap set by the prefecture during the October 24 demonstration," according to their communiqué. They criticized the prefecture for issuing a ban too late to prevent them from contesting it before the administrative court.