World-famous attractions including the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre are among museums and tourist sites in Paris that will be closed on Saturday (8 December) – a decision made by French authorities fearing a recurrence of last week’s violence in the city.
Speaking to
RTL radio, France's culture minister Franck Riester said that there were threats from both the far-right and far-left to hijack rallies by so-called "yellow vest" protesters against higher diesel fuel taxes. Last week, rioters torched cars and looted shops off the Champs Elysees boulevard, and defaced the Arc de Triomphe.
"We cannot take the risk when we know the threat," said Riester. Additional police resources have been brought to the capital in anticipation of further disturbances.
The Orsay museum, opera houses and the Grand Palais exhibition and museum complex are also to be closed this weekend, while shops and restaurants around the Champs Elysees and Bastille areas have been advised to lock up, and some French first division football matches have been cancelled.
The Eiffel Tower website advises that it will be closed on8 December, adding that online tickets bought for that date will be refunded. The Louvre website also carries a short announcement, citing "exceptional circumstances" as the reason for its closure.
