Louvre closes as Paris braces for new protests after riots

The Louvre and several other major Paris museums remained closed on Saturday, turning away tourists as French authorities prepared for another weekend of potentially violent demonstrations a week after destructive riots erupted across the country. The Louvre, Musée d'Orsay, Picasso Museum and Grand Palais were all shuttered, according to The Associated Press.

French officials planned to deploy up to 70,000 law enforcement officers nationwide on Saturday, supported by helicopters, armored vehicles and water cannons. Police rerouted Paris' main demonstration away from the city center to prevent another outbreak of violence. Visitors were seen peering through the locked gates of the Louvre, where a posted notice announced its temporary closure. The museum, home to Leonardo da Vinci's "Mona Lisa," is among the most visited attractions in the world.

Shopkeepers across Paris were seen boarding up storefronts, and police stood guard beneath the Arc de Triomphe. The closures also disrupted Art Basel Paris, the major international art fair held at the Grand Palais. The fair had opened to the public on Friday before organizers canceled the weekend program over security concerns.

The precautions followed a weekend of violent demonstrations that left approximately 3,000 businesses across France damaged or looted, according to The Associated Press. The Louvre had already closed earlier in the week after student protesters from the École du Louvre blocked access to the museum's glass pyramid, Carrousel du Louvre and Passage Richelieu entrances, according to Agence France-Presse. The blockade forced officials to turn away visitors at an attraction that can draw as many as 20,000 people on its busiest days, according to French media reports.

Tourists were left frustrated by the closures. Le Monde reported that a Dutch couple called the closure "shameful," telling the newspaper, « You are giving Paris a terrible image » as they held up their tickets.

The U.S. Embassy in France has warned Americans to avoid violent protests as the unrest prompted partial curfews in several French cities, with additional restrictions possible. In a Monday statement, the embassy said travelers in Paris should avoid popular protest gathering spots, including Place de la République, Place de la Bastille and Place de la Nation, as well as major thoroughfares such as Boulevard Voltaire, which are frequently used for demonstrations, according to The Times of London.

Separate reporting on the wider movement describes demonstrators protesting rising living costs, including housing prices and the effects of mass tourism in major cities. The protests have brought together a range of grievances, and authorities have been weighing how to contain disorder while allowing demonstrations to proceed.

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Connor Quincy

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Connor Quincy covers public affairs, politics, business, culture and daily news for Core Memo. The role focuses on verification, context, and clear explanations for readers.

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