The Louvre and several other major Paris museums will be closed on Saturday over concerns about potential violence during planned protests, France's culture ministry said. In a statement to the AP, the ministry said the Orsay and Picasso museums were also among those that will close. Protests last Saturday devolved into mayhem, with rioters setting fires, smashing shop windows, looting, and clashing with police. The ministry called on all institutions under its authority to adopt any necessary measures to ensure "visitor safety, staff protection, and the preservation of artworks," according to the statement.
Others are taking the same tack. After two days when admission was invite-only, Art Basel Paris opened to the public on Friday—but only for the day, with the threat of unrest prompting organizers on Thursday to cancel the weekend program. Paris' Grand Palais is hosting 211 international galleries and their exhibitions for Art Basel, considered one of the world's most prestigious contemporary art fairs. A protest on Thursday in Paris was peaceful, and Art Basel's organizers announced the decision to close for the weekend around the same time. The protest planned for Saturday is expected to be much larger.
"This decision has not been taken lightly, and the safety of everyone involved in the fair remains our utmost priority," organizers said in a statement. Its website posted a similar announcement and said those who held tickets for the weekend would be contacted. Antoine Donzeaud and Elisa Rigoulet, owners of the gallery exo exo, felt the same. "We understand this decision, which we consider reasonable and consistent with the urgency of the social demands currently unfolding in France," they said in a text message.
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