Marseille bans protests, imposes curfew over cost-of-living unrest

Authorities in Marseille have banned all demonstrations and protests against the high cost of living planned for this Saturday, according to BFM TV. The ban applies across the entire Bouches-du-Rhône department, alongside a curfew from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Public transport will be suspended from Saturday 5 a.m. to Sunday 5 a.m. towards peripheral commercial areas and between several key towns. Similar protest bans are spreading to other cities, including Avignon, Nice, and Orléans, where a National Rally congress is taking place. The prefecture expects up to 30,000 opponents of the party, including 2,000 to 3,000 radicals. In Paris, demonstrations were not banned, though authorities urge vigilance. Meanwhile, 2,700 people have been detained over weekend clashes, with 217 imprisoned.