Lyon bans undeclared Confluence protest on Tuesday 27 October

The préfecture du Rhône, the State’s representative in the department, has banned an undeclared demonstration that was due to start at the Hôtel de Région in Lyon’s Confluence district at 2pm on Tuesday 27 October. According to Lyon Mag, the authorities fear a repeat of the violence seen during protests in the city on 17 and 24 October.

What happened

On Monday 26 October the préfecture issued an arrêté préfectoral, a legally binding order signed by the prefect, to prevent the gathering. Lyon Mag reports that a call to protest had been circulating on social media for several days, mainly on Telegram and Instagram. It used the slogans “La lutte continue à Lyon” (“The struggle continues in Lyon”) and “La mobilisation continue !” (“The mobilisation continues”). Organisers called on people to meet outside the Hôtel de Région, the seat of the regional council, in Confluence (2nd arrondissement). The plan was then to march to place Jean-Macé in the 7th arrondissement.

The préfecture’s main reason for the ban is that nobody declared the protest in advance and nobody can be identified as its organiser. In France, street demonstrations normally have to be declared to the authorities beforehand. According to Lyon Mag, the préfecture said there was “no declaration, no identified organiser, no organisational arrangements, no possibility of preparing an escort”. It concluded that this created a risk of disorder. The order also notes that the image used to promote the protest showed a burning vehicle. The authorities say this suggests that people likely to commit violence would take part.

The ban follows two tense days in the city. The préfecture points to serious damage and looting on 17 October in the Presqu’île, the central district between the Rhône and the Saône, where the Office de tourisme (tourist office) on place Bellecour was set on fire. Protests were also banned on Saturday 24 October, but the authorities say almost 10,000 people still took to the streets in several parts of Lyon. Lyon Mag reports clashes that day, mainly around Jean-Macé and Saxe-Gambetta, and the looting of five shops. According to the figures in the order, 24 October alone ended with 36 arrests and 22 people injured, 18 of them police officers.

The préfecture says Tuesday’s protest carries “serious risks of grave disturbances to public order”. In its view, even a large police deployment could not fully prevent them.

What it means for you

The ban covers only this undeclared demonstration. It is not a general ban on every gathering in the city. However, it still applies if the protest moves to a different place or time, anywhere in Lyon, at any point on Tuesday 27 October.

The penalties are spelled out in the order. Anyone who takes part in the banned protest can be fined under a contravention de quatrième classe, a fourth-class minor offence, which carries a fine of 135 euros. Organising a banned demonstration can be punished by up to six months in prison and a fine of 7,500 euros.

If you live, work or shop around Confluence, Perrache, Jean-Macé or Saxe-Gambetta, plan for disruption on Tuesday afternoon and keep away from any crowds that form. Joining a gathering out of curiosity can still count as taking part. Before you travel, check the official channels of the préfecture du Rhône and your transport operator for updates.

On 25 October Lyon Mag also reported that the préfecture had renewed a couvre-feu (curfew) in Lyon after the events of 24 October. If you have not read its terms yet, check which areas and hours it covers and who it applies to.

What to watch next

The ban is the latest in a series. Protests were banned for Saturday 24 October, and Lyon Mag’s related coverage describes the curfew as renewed “again”. This suggests the authorities are deciding one date at a time, so watch for further orders from the préfecture whenever new calls to protest appear online.

Lyon Mag has also reported that gatherings were announced in Lyon, Vénissieux and Vaulx-en-Velin after the racist attack in Trappes. It is worth checking whether any of these are declared or affected by restrictions. Previous closures are a guide too. The musée des Confluences and Lugdunum, the city’s Gallo-Roman museum, both closed on Saturday 24 October as a precaution. If you are planning to visit a museum or venue in the city centre on a protest day, check whether it is open before you go.

Source: Lyon Mag