This article is more than 8 months old

This article is more than 8 months old

Tourist attractions and museums in central Paris have said they will not open on Saturday, when fresh gilets jaunes (yellow vests) protests are planned, as French authorities prepared to deploy 89,000 security personnel across the country.

“The demonstrations announced on Saturday 8 December in Paris do not allow us to welcome visitors in safe conditions,” said the operator of the Eiffel Tower in a statement on Thursday. Police have also ordered about a dozen museums, including the Louvre and the Grand Palais, cultural sites such as the Opera and shops along the Champs-Élysées to close over fears of violence. “We cannot take the risk when we know the threat,” Franck Riester, the culture minister, told RTL radio. Several top-league football matches have also been cancelled.

As senior ministers sought to defuse public fury with conciliatory language on taxes, an official in Emmanuel Macron’s office risked provoking more anger by saying that intelligence suggested that some protesters would come to the capital “to vandalise and to kill”.

Play Video 0:18 French high school students made to kneel with hands on heads by police – video

Despite capitulating this week over the plans for higher fuel taxes that inspired the nationwide revolt, the president has struggled to quell the anger that last weekend led to the worst street unrest in central Paris since 1968.

Rioters torched cars, vandalised cafes, looted shops and sprayed anti-Macron graffiti across some of Paris’s most affluent districts, even defacing the Arc de Triomphe. Scores of people were hurt and hundreds arrested in battles with police.

Macron’s politics look to Blair and Clinton. The backlash was inevitable | Larry Elliott Read more

In a bid to end the three-week crisis, the prime minister, Édouard Philippe, told parliament late on Wednesday that he was scrapping the fuel-tax increases planned for 2019, having announced a six-month suspension the day before.

The finance minister, Bruno Le Maire, told a conference he was prepared to bring forward tax-cutting plans and that he wanted workers’ bonuses to be tax free.

But he added: “In this case, it must go hand-in-hand with a decrease in spending.”

He also said France would impose a tax on big internet firms in 2019 if there was no consensus on an EU-wide levy, seeking to appeal to anti-business sentiment among the protesters.

The threat of more violence poses a security nightmare for the authorities, who make a distinction between the peaceful gilets jaunes protesters and violent groups, anarchists and looters from the deprived suburbs who they say have infiltrated the movement.

On Facebook groups and across social media, the gilets jaunes are calling for an “act 4”, a reference to what would be a fourth weekend of disorder.

“France is fed up!! We will be there in bigger numbers, stronger, standing up for French people. Meet in Paris on Dec 8,” said one group’s banner.

The education minister, Jean-Michel Blanquer, urged people to stay at home this weekend. Security sources said the government was considering using troops currently deployed on anti-terrorism patrols to protect public buildings.

The protests, named after the fluorescent jackets French motorists are required to keep in their cars, erupted in November over the squeeze on household budgets caused by fuel taxes. Demonstrations swiftly grew into a broad, sometimes violent, rebellion against Macron.

Who are the gilets jaunes and what do they want? Read more

The protesters have no formal leader and their demands are diverse. They include changes to a tax system perceived as unfair and unjust, higher salaries and Macron’s resignation.

France’s hard-left CGT trade union on Thursday called on its energy industry workers to walk out for 48 hours from 13 December, saying it wanted to join forces with the gilets jaunes.

The fuel tax volte-face was the first major U-turn of Macron’s 18-month presidency.

The unrest has exposed deep-seated resentment among non-city dwellers with a perception that Macron is out of touch with the middle and working classes. They see the 40-year-old former investment banker as closer to big business and the rich.

Trouble is also brewing elsewhere for Macron. Teenage students blocked access to more than 200 high schools across the country on Thursday, burning garbage bins and setting a car alight in the western city of Nantes.

Farmers, who have long complained that retailers are squeezing their margins and are furious over a delay to the planned rise in minimum food prices, and truckers are threatening to strike from Sunday.

Le Maire said France was no longer spared from the wave of populism that had swept across Europe. “It’s only that in France, it’s not manifesting itself at the ballot box, but in the streets.”</s>France is bracing for yet another weekend of protests that could rock Paris and other parts of the country.

Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said the government was deploying 89,000 security force members across France — including 8,000 in the capital — in case the demonstrations turn violent again.

Many of the capital’s famed sites — including the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, the Musée Delacroix and the Paris Opera — will close over the weekend in advance of the protests, organized by the “gilets jaunes,” or “yellow vest” movement. Their name comes from the high-visibility yellow vests that drivers are required to keep in their vehicles for safety reasons.

Interior Minister Christophe Castaner vowed to deploy all the means available to ensure the latest yellow vest protests are not hijacked by what he said were “10,000” people, “a small minority” of the movement who have been “radicalized and fallen into violence and hate.”

“We have to guarantee the safety of protesters and the right of citizens to move around freely,” Castaner told a news conference Friday.

Stores along the capital’s famed Champs Elysees avenue have also been advised to remain shut this weekend. Many shop owners were boarding up their stores on Friday amid fears of further disorder.

The French retail sector has suffered a loss in revenue of about $1.1 billion since the beginning of the yellow vest protests last month, a spokeswoman for the French retail federation, Sophie Amoros, told CNN.

Amid heightened tensions, police seized 28 petrol bombs and three homemade explosive devices on Friday at an area blockaded by protesters in Montauban, southern France, a spokesman for the Tarn-et-Garonne prefecture told CNN.

Nationwide, some 630 people were arrested and more than 260 were injured, including 81 police officers, during last weekend‘s protests, the third consecutive week of such demonstrations.

There have also been four accidental deaths, according to officials. Three of them resulted from traffic accidents related to the blockades and the fourth was an 80-year-old woman who died in Marseille after being hit by a tear gas canister that came through her window.

The demonstrations began as a form of grassroots opposition to rising gas prices and planned increases in taxes on polluting forms of transport, but they have since evolved into broader demonstrations against the government of President Emmanuel Macron.

Macron appeared to back down Wednesday, announcing that the fuel tax planned for January — as part of measures to combat climate change — would not be introduced in 2019. But the movement now appears to be about more than just taxes; it’s exposed the growing divide between Paris’ metropolitan elite and the country’s rural poor.

Maxime Nicolle, a member of the gilets jaunes from rural Brittany, told CNN: “I’m definitely not backing down now. The moratorium is useless. The people want a referendum, a referendum on Macron, the senate and the national assembly.”

Street furniture, such as railings around trees, public bicycle stations and benches, will be removed from parts of Paris ahead of the expected protests so they can’t be used as weapons, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo said.

Municipal buildings will be closed and services “mobilized and determined to ensure everyone’s protection,” she said. In an appeal to protesters, the mayor added: “Please take care of Paris, because Paris belongs to all the French people.”

Many of those protesting have moved into the suburbs due to rising real estate prices. Suburban protesters, like those from rural areas, argue that they’re disproportionately affected by the now-shelved gas tax, as they rely on gasoline and cars much more than city-dwellers.

Castener said he had talked to protesters around the country and had some sympathy with their concerns and economic troubles.

But, he said, the French government had made appropriate gestures. “The Prime Minister opened the door, and canceled the environment tax,” he said.

The unrest has also spread to hundreds of high schools across the country, where students are demonstrating against the government’s recent education reforms.

More than 140 people were arrested outside a school in the Paris suburb of Mantes-la-Jolie on Thursday after protesters clashed with police.

Education Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer told radio station France Inter on Friday that he, like many others, had been shocked by images of students in Mantes-la-Jolie being made to kneel with their hands behind their heads by security forces. But he said it was important to note that elements from outside the high school had made use of the situation to stir up trouble and attack security forces.

Castaner said only 12 officers were present to bring the situation under control, which was reflected in the methods they used.

Meanwhile, La Voix du Nord newspaper in northern France reported that a bottle containing acid had been thrown Friday at one of its journalists and a fellow reporter while they were covering a high school protest in the town of Wingles, in the Pas-de-Calais department. The pair narrowly managed to avoid being hit, the paper said.

It’s unclear if the gilets jaunes demonstrations will be as violent or as large this weekend as they have been previously. The number of protesters peaked last month at 282,000, according to the Interior Ministry, but has been slowly on the decline, with 136,000 taking part on December 2.

Since the first protests were held in mid-November, 1,648 people have been injured in total, including 552 police officers, the Interior Ministry said. More than 1,600 people have been taken in for questioning and 1,387 have been arrested.

Small retailers, hotels and restaurants have all seen their takings fall significantly as a result of the protests, according to the French Ministry of Finance.

While large protests are common in France, they’re usually organized in a top-down fashion by the country’s powerful unions. By contrast, the gilets jaunes protests began as a grassroots movement that emerged online, with Facebook events set up by citizens mostly from rural areas.

Dominique Moisi, a foreign policy expert at the Paris-based Institut Montaigne and a former Macron campaign adviser, told CNN the French presidency was not only in crisis but that Europe’s future also hung in the balance.

“In a few months from now there will be European elections, and France was supposed to be the carrier of hope and European progress. What happens if it’s no longer? If the president is incapacitated to carry that message?” Moisi said.

“It’s about the future of democracy, as well, illiberal democracies are rising all over the world. And if Macron fails, the future of France risks looking like the presidency of Italy today. And it’s much more serious because we have a centralized state which plays a major role in the balance of power within Europe.

“But make no mistake, it is a French version of a much more global phenomenon.</s>Major security measures are being put in place in Paris as the French government prepares for further major protests.

Recent weeks have seen tens of thousands of demonstrators - dubbed 'Les Gilets Jaunes' or 'yellow vests' due to their high-vis jackets - take to the streets in protest over planned fuel tax hikes by Emmanuel Macron's government.

While the demonstrations have largely been peaceful, there were violent scenes last weekend as police clashed with some demonstrators.

Riot police fired tear gas, stun grenades and water cannon at protesters in central Paris, and at least 133 people were injured.

The government has since announced a suspension of the tax hike for six months in response to the increasingly tense situation, but protesters have pledged to continue their demonstrations.

Today, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe told senators that 65,000 security officers will be deployed around the country this weekend - along with 'exceptional' extra security measures.

Both the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre museum - two of the world's most famous tourist spots - will close on Saturday over the expected demonstrations.

Local media reports that some museums, theatres, libraries and shops (including several along the famed Champs-Elysees) will also shut, while some major French football matches and other events have also been postponed.

The actions and policies of President Emmanuel Macron - who swept into office last year on the pledge to make France more competitive - have been the source of much of the demonstrators' frustration and anger in recent weeks.

Earlier this week, he thanked police and emergency services for their work last weekend.

However, the French leader has been largely silent since then as the country prepares for another weekend of protests and possible violence.

Meanwhile, there were tense scenes in Marseille, Yvelines and other areas of the country today as student protesters unhappy with education reforms clashed with security forces.</s>PARIS (AP) — The Latest on France protests (all times local):

The Eiffel Tower has announced that it will be closed to visitors on Saturday due to the protests called in the French capital by the yellow vest movement.

Tickets bought online will be refunded, the company operating the Paris monument said on Twitter Thursday.

Several museums and other cultural sites have previously announced they will close on Saturday, fearing a repeat of the rioting in Paris city center last weekend.

More than a dozen of museums and other cultural sites in Paris will be closed Saturday amid fears of new rioting at protests called in the French capital by the yellow vest movement.

Several museums and two theaters in the city center, especially those close to the famed Champs-Elysees Avenue, have announced they will not open their doors that day.

The Paris Opera has cancelled planned performances on its two Parisian sites. Two music festivals have also been postponed. The Arc de Triomphe remains closed since last weekend's protest damaged the monument.

Paris police have also urged shops in the Champs-Elysees area to close on Saturday as a precaution. Many stores were smashed and looted in Paris last weekend.

The Louvre Museum and the Eiffel Tower still plan to remain open.

France's prime minister is promising "exceptional" security measures for protests planned in Paris and around the country Saturday, amid fears that radicals and troublemakers will take advantage of the moment to seed chaos.

Speaking Thursday to lawmakers, Edouard Philippe said the government is taking "all measures necessary" to secure the protests, bringing in additional security officers to bolster the 65,000 forces already in place around the country.

He urged "yellow vest" protesters to stay home for their own protection from those who could hijack the protests, after demonstrations in Paris last Saturday degenerated into rioting and looting. He also praised union leaders and local officials who are joining the government's call for calm.

His government deeply damaged by weeks of protests and looking grave, Philippe acknowledged that the government's dramatic concession this week over the fuel tax rise that sparked the protest movement "doesn't respond" to all the protesters' concerns.

French left-wing opposition parties are seeking a no-confidence vote in President Emmanuel Macron's government amid growing protests and fears of violence.

The Socialist Party, far-left Defiant France and the Communist Party are setting aside their divisions and promising to submit the request to the lower house of parliament, or National Assembly, on Monday. The assembly would hold a no-confidence motion within 48 hours of the request.

The left-wing parties alone don't have nearly enough votes to bring down the government, since Macron's centrist Republic on the Move party has a strong majority in the 577-seat house. But they are trying to attract support from other opposition forces.

The move is a new swipe at Macron and his government, dramatically weakened by weeks of "yellow vest" protests.

The government is trying to calm tensions but with little success. The transport minister met Thursday with truckers' unions but they maintained their promise to go on strike Sunday.

Paris police and store owners are bracing for new violence at protests Saturday, despite President Emmanuel Macron's surrender over a fuel tax hike that unleashed weeks of unrest.

Police unions and local authorities are holding emergency meetings Thursday to strategize — while disparate groups of protesters are sharing plans on social networks and chat groups.

After the worst rioting in Paris in decades last weekend, many shops and restaurants in the center of the capital are expected to shut down Saturday, fearing a repeat of the violence.

Macron on Wednesday agreed to abandon the fuel tax hike, but protesters' demands have now expanded to other issues.

Protesting students are disrupting schools and universities Thursday, and drivers are still blocking roads around France, now demanding broader tax cuts and government aid.</s>The Eiffel Tower in Paris is to close on Saturday amid fears of further street violence from “yellow vest” anti-government protests.

Across France, 89,000 police officers will be on duty and armoured vehicles will be deployed in the capital, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe announced.

Police have urged shops and restaurants on Paris’s Champs-Elysees to shut and some museums will also be closed.

Paris saw some of the worst rioting in decades last Saturday.

The government has said it is scrapping unpopular fuel tax increases in its budget – the original trigger for the protests.

But broader discontent with the government has spread and protests have erupted over other issues.

What has the government said?

An official with the interior ministry told AFP news agency authorities were braced for “significant violence” on Saturday, with activists from both the far right and far left planning to converge on the capital.

In an interview with TV channel TF1, Mr Philippe said 8,000 police would be deployed in Paris as well as a dozen armoured vehicles.
• Who are the ‘gilets jaunes’?

He repeated an appeal for calm but added: “We are facing people who are not here to protest, but to smash and we want to have the means to not give them a free rein.”

Earlier, Mr Philippe suggested further concessions to protesters, telling the Senate that the government was open to new measures to help the lowest-paid workers.

How will Paris be affected?

The operator of the Eiffel Tower said the threat of violent protests on Saturday made it impossible to ensure “adequate security conditions”.

City authorities say they are stepping up protection for famous landmarks after the Arc de Triomphe was damaged last week.

Culture Minister Franck Riester said the Louvre and Orsay museums, opera houses and the Grand Palais complex were among sites that would be closed.

“We cannot take the risk when we know the threat,” he told RTL radio.

Police have asked stores and restaurants along the Champs-Elysees and other major shopping streets to stay closed and to remove any outdoor items such as tables and chairs.

A series of football matches have also been postponed on Saturday. They include those between Paris and Montpellier, Monaco and Nice, Toulouse and Lyon, and Saint-Etienne and Marseille.

What other protests have there been?

On Thursday young people took to the streets, protesting over education reforms.

More than 140 people were arrested when a protest outside a school in Mantes-la-Jolie in Yvelines ended in clashes with police. Dozens of other schools were blockaded in cities including Marseille, Nantes and Paris.

Students have been angered by President Emmanuel Macron’s plans to change the end-of-school exam, known as the baccalaureate, which is required for entrance to university.

Critics fear the reforms will limit opportunity and breed inequality.

Who are the protesters?

The “gilets jaunes” protesters, so-called because they have taken to the streets wearing the high-visibility yellow clothing that is required to be carried in every vehicle by French law, initially complained at a sharp increase in diesel taxes.

Mr Macron said his motivation for the increase was environmental, but protesters accused him of being out of touch.

The government later scrapped the plan but the yellow vest protesters were not placated. Last week, the movement – despite a lack of central leadership – issued more than 40 demands to government.

Among them were a minimum pension, widespread changes to the tax system, and a reduction in the retirement age.

The protest movement has gained momentum via social media, encompassing a whole range of participants from the anarchist far left to the nationalist far right, and moderates in between. BBC</s>
• French authorities are bracing for further anti-government protests over the weekend by deploying thousands of security personnel across Paris and closing down the Eiffel Tower.
• The iconic tower, as well as the Louvre museum and shop fronts along the Champs-Elysees, will close as a precautionary measure.
• The riots of the past week are regarded as the worst in Paris since 1968, and have seen violent confrontations, national monuments damaged, and cars set on fire.

Authorities in Paris are bracing for further anti-government protests over the weekend by deploying thousands of security personnel to the area and closing down the city’s iconic Eiffel Tower.

The tower, as well as the Louvre museum and several shops along the Champs-Elysees, will close as a precautionary measure amid fears of continued rioting led by the French protest group “Des Gilets Jaunes,” or the “Yellow Vests.”

The Yellow Vests mobilized over rising gas prices mainly caused by a new tax on diesel fuel which has lifted prices 16% in 2018. But the demonstrations have grown into a broader protest against the rising costs of living and general displeasure with President Emmanuel Macron’s government.

Thousands of protesters have joined in on the riots – the worst in Paris since 1968 – burning cars, smashing store-fronts, defacing national symbols, and clashing with police. Last week, police fired 12,000 canisters of tear gas and water cannons at protesters, and arrested more than 400 people.

The running clashes have left four people dead, including an elderly woman who was struck by a tear gas canister as she was closing her window in Marseilles, and hundreds more injured.

Read more: France is delaying a divisive fuel tax after days of violent protest from Yellow Vest movement that killed 3

French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe announced that 89,000 police officers will be deployed in the capital over the weekend. Local authorities held emergency meetings on Thursday in order to plan for the expected violence, AP reported.

The move to protect the city’s famous landmarks follows damage last week to the Arc de Triomphe monument.

On Wednesday, Macron agreed to abandon the controversial diesel tax, which was seen as a victory for the Yellow Vest movement. Still, protests are expected to continue as the group demands broader tax cuts and government aid.

An interior ministry official told AFP that authorities were ready for “significant violence” on Saturday as activists from both ends of the political spectrum expected to make their way through the capital.</s>PARIS- French authorities will close dozens of museums, tourism sites and shops on Saturday, including the Eiffel Tower and Louvre, fearing a recurrence of last week's violence in Paris, officials said on Thursday.

"We cannot take the risk when we know the threat," Culture Minister Franck Riester told RTL radio, adding that far-right and far-left agitators were planning to hijack rallies by "yellow vest" protesters in Paris.

He said the Louvre museum, Orsay museum, the two operas, and the Grand Palais were among the sites that would be closed a week after rioters looted and defaced the Arc de Triomphe.

The Eiffel Tower will also be closed on Saturday due to the protests, the site's operator SETE said, warning that it could not ensure security for visitors.

With protesters calling on social media for "Act IV" - a fourth weekend of protest - Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said 65,000 police would be drafted in to stop a repeat of last Saturday's mayhem in Paris, when rioters torched cars and looted shops off the Champs Elysees boulevard.

At least four of the weekend's first division football matches have been canceled.

Paris police asked dozens of shop and restaurant owners around the Champs Elysees and Bastille areas to close on Saturday and requested local authorities in 15 areas around the capital to remove anything in the streets that could be used as projectiles.

The government is also considering using troops currently deployed on anti-terrorism patrols to protect public buildings.</s>Eiffel Tower to be closed as Paris braces for more protests

PARIS (AP) — France was mobilizing tens of thousands of police officers and closing landmarks including the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre as authorities warned that anti-government protests on Saturday could be even more violent than the ones that have crippled the country for weeks.

"According to the information we have, some radicalized and rebellious people will try to get mobilized tomorrow," Interior minister Christophe Castaner told a press conference on Friday. "Some ultra-violent people want to take part."

Authorities say 8,000 police will fan out across Paris, equipped with a dozen barricade-busting armored vehicles that could be used for the first time in a French urban area since 2005.

"These vehicles can be very useful to protect buildings," said Stanislas Gaudon, the head of police union Alliance. "And in case they set up barricades, we can quickly clear out the space and let our units progress."

At the height of the festive shopping season, many Paris store owners were boarding up their shop fronts and have said they will remain shut Saturday for fear they may be in the line of any unrest between protesters and police.

Meanwhile, Paris police, fearing protesters could turn street furniture and construction site material into makeshift weapons, were removing all the glass containers, railings and building machines set up in high-risk areas including the world-renowned Champs-Elysees avenue, which would normally be packed with tourists and shoppers on a Saturday in early December.

The Nicolas wine chain, one of the biggest retailers in the country, canceled all its wine tasting sessions scheduled for Saturday.

"It's with an immense sadness that we'll see our city partially brought to a halt, but your safety is our priority," Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo said. "Take care of Paris on Saturday because Paris belongs to all the French people."

Across the country some 89,000 police will be mobilized, up from 65,000 last weekend when more than 130 people were injured and over 400 were arrested as protests degenerated into the worst street violence to hit Paris in decades.

Authorities also have cancelled six French league soccer matches around the country.

Since the unrest began on Nov. 17 in reaction to a sharp increase in diesel taxes, four people have been killed in accidents.

The protesters are collectively referred to as the "yellow vest" movement, in reference to the fluorescent safety outfit French motorists keep in their cars.

Amid the unrest, some of the protesters, French union officials and prominent politicians across the political spectrum have urged calm especially as French President Emmanuel Macron agreed to abandon the fuel tax hike that triggered the movement. However, protesters' demands have now expanded to other issues hurting French workers, retirees and students.

Students opposing an education reform protested again Friday, a day after footage widely shared on social media showing the arrest of high school students protesting outside Paris prompted an outcry. Trade unions and far-left parties have lashed out at perceived police brutality.

The images, filmed Thursday at Mantes-la-Jolie, showed a group of students on their knees with their hands behind their head. They are being watched over by armed police officers whose faces are hidden by ski masks.

Interior minister Christophe Castaner said that 151 people were arrested in the small town, adding that some of them carried weapons. He said none of the students were injured.

The rioting has also had an economic impact at the height of the holiday shopping season. Rampaging groups last weekend threw cobblestones through Paris storefronts and looted valuables in some of the city's richest neighborhoods.

The national Federation of French markets said that Christmas markets have been "strongly impacted" and that its members registered "an average fall of their estimated figures between 30 and 40 percent since the beginning of the movement of the yellow vests."

In addition to the closure of the Eiffel Tower, many shops and museums across France, including the Louvre, Orsay Museum and the Grand Palais, will keep their doors shut on Saturday for safety reasons.

"We need to protect culture sites in Paris but also everywhere in France," Culture Minister Franck Riester told RTL radio.</s>The Eiffel Tower and the Louvre museum in Paris will be closed on Saturday as French authorities tighten security to prevent another outbreak of violence following three weeks of anti-government protests.

And at the height of the festive shopping season, many retailers have said they will remain shut for the day for fear they may be in the line of any unrest between protesters and police.

In addition to the 8,000 police forces that will be deployed in the French capital city, the Paris police prefect has identified 14 high-risk sectors that will be cleared out.

Fearing protesters could target street furniture and use material found at construction sites as makeshift weapons, Paris police will remove all the glass containers, railings and building machines set up in the identified sectors which include the world-renowned and glitzy Champs-Elysees avenue.

“According to the information we have, some radicalized and rebellious people will try to get mobilized tomorrow,” Interior minister Christophe Castaner told a press conference on Friday. “Some ultra-violent people want to take part.”

Many shop owners across the French capital are getting ready for the violence, setting up walls with carton boards to protect their windows. Meanwhile, the Nicolas wine chain, one of the biggest retailers in the country, canceled all its wine tasting sessions scheduled for Saturday.

Across the country some 89,000 police will be mobilized, up from 65,000 last weekend when more than 130 people were injured and over 400 were arrested in the worst street violence seen in Paris in decades. And authorities have also cancelled six French league soccer matches this weekend around the country.

Since the unrest began on Nov. 17 in reaction to a sharp increase in diesel taxes, four people have been killed in accidents.

The protesters are collectively referred to as the “yellow vest” movement, in reference to the fluorescent safety outfit French motorists keep in their cars.

READ MORE: Paris protests reveal fracture between France’s haves and have-nots

Amid the unrest, some of the protesters, French union officials and prominent politicians across the political spectrum have urged calm especially as French President Emmanuel Macron agreed to abandon the fuel tax hike that triggered the movement. However, protesters’ demands have now expanded to other issues hurting French workers, retirees and students.

Students opposing an education reform protested again Friday, a day after footage widely shared on social media showing the arrest of high school students protesting outside Paris prompted an outcry. Trade unions and far-left parties have lashed out at perceived police brutality.

The images, filmed Thursday at Mantes-la-Jolie, showed a group of students on their knees with their hands behind their head. They are being watched over by armed police officers whose faces are hidden by ski masks.

Interior minister Christophe Castaner said that 151 people were arrested in the small town, adding that some of them carried weapons. He said none of the students were injured.

The rioting has also had an economic impact at the height of the holiday shopping season. Rampaging groups last weekend threw cobblestones through Paris storefronts and looted valuables in some of the city’s richest neighbourhoods.

The National Federation of French markets said that Christmas markets have been “strongly impacted” and that its members registered “an average fall of their estimated figures between 30 and 40 per cent since the beginning of the movement of the yellow vests.”

In addition to the closure of the Eiffel Tower, many shops and museums across France, including the Louvre, Orsay Museum and the Grand Palais, will keep their doors shut on Saturday for safety reasons.

READ MORE: Why France’s ‘yellow vest’ protesters are rioting in Paris and across the country

“We need to protect culture sites in Paris but also everywhere in France,” Culture Minister Franck Riester told RTL radio.

In Paris, police officers will be equipped with a dozen armored vehicles that could be used for the first time in a French urban area since 2005.

“These vehicles can be very useful to protect buildings,” said Stanislas Gaudon, the head of police union Alliance. “And in case they set up barricades, we can quickly clear out the space and let our units progress.”</s>Authorities in Paris are bracing for further anti-government protests over the weekend by deploying thousands of security personnel to the area and closing down the city's iconic Eiffel Tower.

The tower, as well as the Louvre museum and several shops along the Champs-Elysees, will close as a precautionary measure amid fears of continued rioting led by the French protest group "Des Gilets Jaunes," or the "Yellow Vests."

The Yellow Vests mobilized over rising gas prices mainly caused by a new tax on diesel fuel, which has lifted prices 16% in 2018. But the demonstrations have grown into a broader protest against the rising costs of living and general displeasure with President Emmanuel Macron's government.

Thousands of protesters have joined in on the riots — the worst in Paris since 1968— burning cars, smashing store-fronts, defacing national symbols, and clashing with police. Last week, police fired 12,000 canisters of tear gas and water cannons at protesters and arrested more than 400 people.

The running clashes have left four people dead, including an elderly woman who was struck by a tear gas canister as she was closing her window in Marseilles, and hundreds more injured.

French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe announced that 89,000 police officers will be deployed in the capital over the weekend. Local authorities held emergency meetings on Thursday in order to plan for the expected violence, AP reported.

The move to protect the city's famous landmarks follows damage last week to the Arc de Triomphe monument.

On Wednesday, Macron agreed to abandon the controversial diesel tax, which was seen as a victory for the Yellow Vest movement. Still, protests are expected to continue as the group demands broader tax cuts and government aid.

An interior ministry official told AFP that authorities were ready for "significant violence" on Saturday as activists from both ends of the political spectrum expected to make their way through the capital.
Major landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre are to shut down amid expected protests this weekend.