Paris protest on 7 November: Concorde rally and metro disruption

The Gilets Jaunes (Yellow Vests), a protest movement against the rising cost of living, plan to gather at Place de la Concorde in Paris at 2pm on Saturday, 7 November, with other demonstrations planned across France. According to The Local France, the Paris police had not yet authorised the gathering at the time of writing, and organisers say they will go ahead even if it is banned.

What happened

The movement’s national coordination has called a new nationwide day of protest for Saturday. Organisers call it Act IV of their campaign, and its slogan is “pour l’égalité réelle”, meaning “for real equality”. The Local France reports that it follows earlier Saturday demonstrations on 17 October, 24 October and 31 October, as well as a week of blockades at schools and universities.

Saturday’s protest also comes two days after a nationwide strike on Thursday, 5 November, organised by France’s major trade unions.

The Local France reports that no route had been proposed for Saturday and that the préfecture de police (the Paris police authority, which approves or bans public demonstrations in the capital) had not given permission. The movement’s spokesperson, Azelma Sigaux, said in a social media post that protesters would go ahead regardless of any ban. “We will disobey,” she wrote.

There are reasons to expect the authorities to refuse or change the plans. On 5 November, the Paris police rejected the route the unions had asked for, from Place de la Bastille to Place de la Concorde, and imposed a route between République and Nation instead. On 31 October, the Yellow Vests were also stopped from marching towards Place de la Concorde and sent along the Boulevards des Maréchaux, the ring of boulevards on the edge of the city, in eastern Paris.

What it means for you

If you live in Paris, work there or plan to travel through it on Saturday, the central area around Place de la Concorde is the one to watch, particularly from early afternoon. Place de la Concorde sits at the bottom of the Champs-Élysées, close to the Tuileries garden and across the Seine from the Assemblée nationale (the lower house of the French parliament).

Metro and RER disruption is likely, although nothing had been confirmed when The Local France published its report. For the 5 November protest, 25 metro stations were closed at the request of the Paris police, including several near Place de la Concorde, the Champs-Élysées and Les Invalides. Previous Saturday protests have seen between 25 and 40 metro and RER stations closed. The RER is the regional express rail network linking central Paris with the suburbs. The Local France says similar closures could be introduced this weekend.

Drivers and public transport users should check their journeys before setting off. The Local France suggests apps such as Citymapper and Google Maps for finding alternative routes, but advises travellers to also check official updates from the RATP, the operator that runs the Paris metro. If your journey usually passes through stations near Concorde, the Champs-Élysées or Les Invalides, allow extra time or plan another route in advance.

If the gathering goes ahead without authorisation, the situation on the ground may be harder to predict than at an approved march with a set route. Residents who do not plan to take part may prefer to avoid the area during the afternoon.

What to watch next

The main question is whether the Paris police will authorise Saturday’s gathering, ban it or propose another route, as they did for the unions on 5 November and for the Yellow Vests on 31 October. Any announcement of metro and RER station closures is likely to come from the police and the RATP close to the day itself.

The Local France says it will update its coverage as more information becomes available. With the movement now on its fourth Saturday of action, further weekend protests are possible, so check transport updates before any weekend trip into central Paris.

Source: The Local France