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Wooden boards are going up across France as shopkeepers brace for possible unrest. With a National Rally congress in Orléans and protests approaching in Lyon, businesses fear damage and disruption.
As Lyon and Orléans prepare for a weekend of demonstrations, shopkeepers are boarding up windows, removing valuable stock and reinforcing entrances.
In Lyon, workers were filmed on Friday installing wooden panels and protective fencing outside City Hall, the Museum of Fine Arts and the Chamber of Commerce. Shops along Rue de la République were also being secured, with carpenters cutting boards and covering windows. The precautions reflect fears of possible violence and property damage, although no such incidents during the upcoming demonstrations have been confirmed.
In Orléans, businesses along the planned protest route are also taking precautions ahead of a weekend that will see the city host the National Rally’s congress. Nearly 3,000 police officers and security personnel will be deployed as between 20,000 and 30,000 protesters are expected to gather in opposition to the event, raising concerns over possible disruption.