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> 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> 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> PARIS (Reuters) - Staff at the Eiffel Tower agreed to end their strike on Thursday evening, a union official said, meaning the monument will reopen on Friday.

The tower - Paris’s most famous tourist attraction - closed on Wednesday afternoon in a dispute over a new access system that workers said had caused “monstrous” queues.

Each year over 6 million visitors go up the 342-metre (1,063-foot) tower in the French capital. </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> 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> 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 in Paris - closed since Wednesday afternoon due to a strike - will reopen to visitors on Friday, management and unions said on Thursday.

[PARIS] The Eiffel Tower in Paris - closed since Wednesday afternoon due to a strike - will reopen to visitors on Friday, management and unions said on Thursday.

The attraction was closed over a dispute about a new access policy which workers said had caused unacceptably long queues. </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.