France restricts protests to union-organized events after violence

French President Emmanuel Macron announced Thursday that only union-organized demonstrations will be permitted, with non-union protests banned where possible, following weekend violence and looting during cost-of-living protests. A defense council meeting is scheduled for Friday. A Paris administrative court suspended a police ban on a Thursday student protest, allowing the Interfac Ile-de-France march to proceed. Meanwhile, two suspects have been arrested in connection with the arson attack that destroyed Limoges' historic city hall on October 17, with one now facing attempted murder charges for allegedly targeting police officers. The government faces criticism over its handling of the unrest, with intelligence services accused of failing to anticipate the mobilization. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez announced a substantial security deployment for Saturday's National Rally congress in Orléans, where 20,000-25,000 counter-protesters are expected.