Left-wing leaders in France left a meeting with Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu on Thursday angry and unconvinced, franceinfo reported. The same day, Lyon and Marseille banned all protests set for Saturday, AFP reported.

Lecornu called in party leaders after violence broke out on the edges of marches on October 17, franceinfo reported. AFP said the huge marches were against the rising cost of living. The meeting was about policing, franceinfo reported. Most parties sent their leaders, but Marine Le Pen's National Rally sent a lower-ranking official, AFP reported.

Manuel Bompard of the hard-left France Unbowed said the meeting wasted the country's time, franceinfo reported. He said Lecornu never took up the demands of young people or the anger in the country. He said his party's team left before the end. Green candidate Marine Tondelier said her side came out "even more worried and angry," according to franceinfo (translated from French). Raphael Glucksmann, the Socialist-backed candidate, said they got no clear answers on the security failures of October 17.

The right also hit out. Bruno Retailleau, head of the Republicans, again faulted the government for not declaring a state of emergency, franceinfo reported. National Rally senator Edwige Diaz said the government had tried to play down its responsibility, franceinfo reported.

Macron chaired a security meeting Thursday. "The priority is a return to calm," he said, according to AFP. He backed bans on protests by "groups without legitimacy," AFP reported, and said he would chair a defense council on Friday, AFP and Euronews reported. He blamed far-left groups for the worst of the violence, AFP reported, and accused them of "sedition," AFP and Euronews reported.

Officials in the Marseille region banned all protests there on Saturday, and Lyon did the same, AFP reported. Paris police said Saturday's march could start at Bastille in the east of the city but could not go into the center. The government plans 20% more police than on October 17, AFP and Euronews reported.

Some say the bans go too far. "That goes against the right to demonstrate," a university student leader said, according to AFP. Jean-Luc Melenchon of France Unbowed blamed "non-stop brutal repression" for the unrest, AFP reported. Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin said 217 of the 2,700 people arrested had already been convicted and jailed, AFP reported.

Lecornu will meet student groups, unions and employers on Monday, AFP reported.

What we know: Left-wing parties left the meeting angry, and several cities have banned Saturday protests.
What we don't: What Friday's defense council will decide, or how big Saturday's marches will be.