French demonstrators blocked the entrance doors to the Louvre this morning, amid nationwide protests over the state of public schools and the rising cost of living. Saturday saw marches around the country, and law enforcement officials said that they made more than 2,400 arrests and cited incidents of property destruction and looting.
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Artnet shared an image posted on X by Le Figaro journalist Jean-Baptiste Semerdjian of a flyer addressed in English to museum visitors that bears the headline “Why Are We Blockading the Louvre Museum?” The note cites the government’s “anti-public-services politics,” including unemployment, budget cuts, and poor building infrastructure. It argues that the “last hope” for students who have been fighting for weeks is to engage in protests that limit the economy and public services.“
That’s why we are proud to announce we are blocking the biggest museum in the world,” the note continues. “By your presence, you witness this political action organised by students, following the massive historical movement started by students in the overseas territories through the capital.”
The end of the note thanks the reader for their “interest in French culture, and for standing with our fight to study, to work, and to live freely in good conditions.” The Louvre’s website features the message, “Due to student strikes, the Musée du Louvre is closed today. All reservations for today’s date will be automatically reimbursed.”
Last year, the museum welcomed nine million visitors, with the French making up the largest nationality. In 2023, the Louvre began limiting daily attendance at 30,000 in order to reduce overcrowding. Before that, it attracted up to 45,000 visitors per day. Artnet also notes that today marks the one-year anniversary of the Louvre heist in which thieves made off with pieces of France’s crown jewels.