France prohibits protests against Mohammed cartoons

It looks like the French government's doing something right, for safety and security's sake:

France confirmed today it would allow no street protests against cartoons denigrating Islam's Prophet Mohammad that were published by a French magazine this week.

French interior minister Manuel Valls said prefects throughout the country had orders to prohibit any protest over the issue and crack down if the ban was challenged.

"There will be strictly no exceptions. Demonstrations will be banned and broken up," he said.

French embassies and schools in 20 countries will close today as Paris braces itself for protests against the publication.

I hope they intend to stand firm on this. They're doing the right thing, because there's every chance it could all devolve into violence and riots, and they do need to avoid that.

Update: another Muslim has been arrested in La Rochelle for calling for execution of Charlie Hebdo's editor (H/T: Jihad Watch).