Paris protesters rally after court lifts ban despite violence fears

Thousands of protesters gathered in Paris on Thursday after a court overturned a police ban, despite authorities tightening security nationwide amid fears of renewed violence following weekend riots and looting. The Paris prefecture had imposed the ban citing risks of street violence after masked youth clashed with officers, looted shops, and torched cars. Protesters, including many youngsters, gathered peacefully under heavy police presence, while other cities like Lyon, Lille, and Grenoble maintained bans. The weekend unrest, France's most violent in years, erupted from student protests over school funding and spread to cost-of-living demonstrations. President Emmanuel Macron blamed far-left groups and criminals, with night curfews implemented in some areas and a massive security operation planned for Saturday's expected demonstrations.