BBC News
By Mathieu Pollet
image caption I m non-essential declares one of the protesters in the Place de la Bastille in central Paris
Hundreds of actors, theatre directors, musicians, film technicians and critics, and many others from the world of French culture gathered in the heart of Paris and other cities on Tuesday to protest against the government s shutdown of culture venues because of Covid-19.
Cinemas, theatres, museums and concert halls had been set to reopen, but days in advance Prime Minister Jean Castex announced a change of heart in response to France s stubbornly high infection rate.
No reopening will take place now until at least 7 January - a decision Mr Castex said was particularly painful for us .