French authorities seek to ban or curb fresh protests

French authorities on Thursday imposed bans or restrictions on fresh protests springing up in the wake of demonstrations last weekend that degenerated into the country's worst street violence in years.

Total bans on Saturday protests have been ordered in major urban centers, including Marseille and Lyon. Localized nighttime curfews and transit closures have also been implemented in Paris and other affected cities. The Justice Minister stated that hundreds of people have already been convicted following over 2,700 arrests.

Officials are also exploring proposals to suspend voting rights or restrict social media access for individuals convicted of violent protest offenses.