France moved, at the last minute, a meeting of the G7 foreign ministers from Marseille to Paris, according to three diplomats and an email Reuters had access to on Thursday — a move that comes after six weeks of protests across the country.
The second meeting of the foreign ministers scheduled during France’s presidency of the G7 was due to take place in the Mediterranean port city on November 9 and 10. France told the delegations on Wednesday that the meeting would be moved to the French capital.
“The meeting of the G7 foreign ministers will be held, ultimately, on Monday and Tuesday, in Paris,” according to the correspondence.
“This change is due mainly to logistical and operational reasons. The schedule of the G7 and the Paris Peace Forum on a very tight timeline requires a significant mobilization of human resources, equipment, security, lodging and transport for the delegations.”
Security forces have been under heavy strain since September due to an ongoing student protest movement that has expanded into broader demonstrations. New protests are taking place on Thursday.
On October 17, protests in several cities ended with looting and clashes between protesters and police, with Marseille being the scene of some of the most serious episodes of violence.
Beyond France, the G7 includes the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States, as well as the European Union.
