The Council of State, France’s highest administrative court, ruled Wednesday that the government’s decision to extend closure of cinemas, theatres, and cultural venues after the easing of national lockdown was justified.

The ruling comes after France eased its national lockdown on December 15, but decided to keep cinemas, theatres, museums, and other cultural venues shut until at least January 7, 2021.

Cultural workers appealed to the Council on the basis of “economic degradation” of the cultural sector as well as a “serious and manifestly illegal” infringement of fundamental freedoms provided for in the Preamble to the Constitution of October 4, 1958.

The presiding judge recognized that the closures undermined freedoms such as freedom of expression and freedom of access to cultural works and that the venues had implemented health protocols that would reduce the risk associated with gatherings, thus reducing the risk of transmission of COVID-19 when such protocols were applied. But the judge held that these closures were justified due to the unfavourable health context of COVID-19, as the data shows a “deterioration in the health situation” in recent weeks, with the new variant discovered in the UK increasing concern. Thus, there was no illegal infringement of freedoms and the appeal was rejected.

Cinemas, theatres, performance halls, museums, and other cultural venues must stay closed in accordance with the government’s guidelines.