The Louvre Museum and other cultural institutions in Paris will be closed on Saturday the 24th due to fears of new outbreaks of violence during protests planned for the French capital.
According to the French Ministry of Culture, the Orsay and Picasso museums will also suspend activities.
In a statement, the ministry said it had asked the institutions under its responsibility to take the necessary measures to ensure the safety of visitors and staff, as well as to safeguard the artworks.
Last Saturday, the demonstrations ended in scenes of violence with fires, storefronts destroyed, looting of stores and clashes between protesters and police.
The expectation is that the protest scheduled for Saturday the 24th will attract a larger number of people.
Art Basel Paris
The tension also led to the cancellation of Art Basel Paris’ weekend program, one of the world’s most prestigious contemporary art fairs.
The event, held at the Grand Palais, brings together 211 international galleries and opened its doors to the public on Friday the 23rd, after two days of restricted access to invited guests.
The organizers announced on Thursday the 22nd that the fair would not operate over the weekend in light of the risk of disturbances.
In a statement, they said the decision was taken to preserve the safety of all involved and that ticket buyers for Saturday and Sunday would be contacted.
The cancellation occurred on the same day that a protest in Paris ended peacefully. Nevertheless, the possibility of further clashes led the organizers to maintain the suspension of activities. /AP
