Protesters block entrance to Louvre in Paris — Asharq Al-Awsat

In Paris, protesters on Monday blocked the entrance to the Louvre amid mass demonstrations against the rising cost of living in France. As Asharq Al-Awsat reports, museum management and trade unions said the protest was led by students of the École du Louvre. On a leaflet near the museum, participants announced the blockade of the world’s most visited museum.

Consequences of the protests

According to the publication, about half a million people took part in demonstrations across France on Saturday. The protests had continued for four weeks and began with demands from high school students to improve learning conditions in schools.

In some cities, peaceful demonstrations escalated into violence. Groups of masked people attacked law enforcement officers, entered town halls and other public buildings, set them on fire, looted shops, and burned cars, bicycles, and scooters. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez offered to resign after more than 2,500 people were arrested and nearly a thousand security personnel were injured.

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President Emmanuel Macron rejected the minister’s resignation, although he acknowledged shortcomings in the work of security and intelligence services. According to Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin, police detained more than 2,330 people over the weekend, 70% of whom were adults.

Authorities’ response and prices

Macron ordered a review of security measures and said local authorities would be able to ban certain gatherings in the coming days if necessary. At the same time, the president did not declare a state of emergency or a curfew. In Marseille, authorities banned public gatherings from noon until 20:00.

Rising prices have intensified public discontent: since March, diesel prices in France have risen by nearly 40%, gasoline prices by 25%, while food prices have increased by 25% since 2021. According to Alain Di Crescenzo, head of the chamber of commerce, the violence may have affected more than 2,000 shops, and losses could reach hundreds of millions of euros. The Yellow Vests movement called for a new wave of protests next Saturday.