The routes for the Paris protest march on October 31st

Organisers of the Yellow Vests protests in Paris have struggled to agree on a route with police for the past two weekends, with authorities rejecting several proposed routes through central Paris.

The protests are part of a wider mobilisation against the rising cost of living, and on October 17th degenerated into widespread violence and looting, leading to tight security for events the following weekend.

Organisers are preparing for a third demonstration on Saturday, October 31st, and are once again proposing a route through the capital. 

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This time, both the Yellow Vests and France’s hardline CGT union have requested routes starting at Place de la Bastille, although they have proposed different destinations.

The CGT has declared a route from Place de la Bastille to Place de la Nation, in eastern Paris. The same route was proposed by an inter-union group for the October 24th demonstration and was initially approved by police two days beforehand. However, authorities later reversed their decision and imposed an alternative route between Porte d’Italie and Porte de Vincennes.

The Yellow Vests coordination group has proposed a different route for October 31st, from Place de la Bastille to the National Assembly (Assemblée nationale), in western Paris.

The proposed route would pass along Boulevard Beaumarchais, Boulevard du Temple, Place de la République, the Grands Boulevards, Place de l’Opéra, Place de la Madeleine, Rue Royale and Place de la Concorde.

It remains unclear whether police will approve the route. Authorities have repeatedly rejected proposed routes heading towards western Paris, including in the run-up to the October 17th demonstration.

It is also uncertain whether protesters will be allowed to pass through Place de la République on Saturday, following incidents there during the October 17th demonstration. Police have since extended a night-time curfew covering a more limited area of Paris.

Yellow Vests organisers say they expect another refusal and have threatened legal action if they are prevented from demonstrating along their preferred route.

“If the police continue to refuse to accept our routes through central Paris, we will file a complaint for infringement of the right to demonstrate,” Yellow Vests organiser and lawyer David Libeskind told French daily Le Parisien.

Sit-ins planned across France

Alongside the proposed marches, organisers have called for gatherings and sit-ins at 2pm on Saturday, October 31st, outside the National Assembly in Paris.

These gatherings are intended to take place at the start or end of protest marches. In towns and cities where no march is planned, people are being encouraged to gather outside their local town halls instead.