Paris court overturns protest ban as thousands rally peacefully

Thousands of protesters marched in Paris on Thursday after an administrative court overturned a police ban, while other French cities imposed their own restrictions following a weekend of violent clashes and looting described as the country's worst unrest in years. The Paris protest, which drew many young people, remained peaceful and stationary under heavy police presence, with organizers signing a document to that effect. The court's ruling was not made public, and the prefecture had argued the ban was necessary to prevent street violence. More bans were expected, with President Emmanuel Macron saying the strategy is to prohibit protests by groups without legitimate authority, while offering unions alternative routes. The unrest began with student demonstrations over school funding and has expanded into broader protests over living costs ahead of the 2026 presidential election.