Protests in France widened on Thursday as thousands of demonstrators gathered in Paris after an administrative court overturned a police ban on public gatherings in Paris. The Paris Police Prefecture banned public gathering on Thursday citing the risk of street violence after groups of masked youth clashed with officers, looted shops and torched cars last weekend.

The court ruling was not immediately made public. However, demonstrators gathered in large numbers and agreed to hold a stationary protest to reduce the risk of violence.

France is seeing one of its worst protests in recent years, which began with students taking to streets over school conditions.…