French authorities banned all gatherings and demonstrations across Marseille on Monday from noon to 8 pm local time following weekend violence and looting.

The Bouches-du-Rhone police prefecture announced the restrictions under a prefectural order covering the entire city, French broadcaster BFMTV reported.

The measure aims to prevent further public disorder following the unrest on Oct. 17 and 18.

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez was also expected in Marseille on Monday to assess the situation.

Separately, the northern French town of Denain has imposed a nighttime curfew on adults and minors.

Mayor Anne-Lise Dufour-Tonini announced that the measure would apply every night from 9 pm to 6 am from Oct. 18 through Oct. 25.

In an address on Sunday, President Emmanuel Macron said prefects would coordinate with mayors to protect cities, including by banning certain gatherings when necessary.

Nationwide demonstrations on Saturday brought together protesters opposing the high cost of living, including rising fuel and energy prices, declining purchasing power and concerns over public services.

Participants included Yellow Vest activists, high school and university students, trade union members and retirees.

While many marches proceeded peacefully, violence broke out in several cities, including Paris, Marseille and Lyon, where shops were looted, public buildings were attacked and protesters clashed with police.

In Marseille, rioters entered and damaged the city hall near the Old Port, looted businesses and clashed with security forces.

Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin said 2,331 people were placed in police custody across France over the weekend, with dozens remanded in pretrial detention, including 13 in Marseille.

The president of CCI France estimated that more than 2,000 businesses would be directly affected by the unrest, with damage running into hundreds of millions of euros.

Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu convened an interministerial crisis meeting on Monday to discuss support for businesses, insurance claims and subsequent legal proceedings, while Yellow Vest organizers announced fresh protests for Oct. 24. (AA)