France has introduced partial curfews in several cities following a wave of violent protests that resulted in looting, arson and widespread destruction of property over the weekend.
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced on Monday that he had directed regional authorities to enforce localised curfews in affected areas to protect residents, businesses and public property.
The decision followed nationwide demonstrations that escalated into some of France’s worst street violence in recent years, prompting the government to review security operations and measures to prevent further unrest.
Authorities subsequently announced restrictions in several locations, including Paris, Lyon, Nice, Coulaines and Lille.
In Paris, a curfew was imposed around Place de la République and streets near the Les Halles shopping district from 11pm on Monday until 6am on Tuesday.
Police also prohibited gatherings and demonstrations across the capital from 8pm on Monday.
In Lille and three neighbouring communes, curfews were announced for Monday and Tuesday nights, while similar restrictions were introduced in other cities, with some applying specifically to minors.
Lecornu ruled out imposing a blanket curfew across Paris but maintained that the government was determined to restore order.
“It is out of the question to put all of Paris under curfew,” he said, adding that he was “fully resolved to restoring public order”.
He also said a state of emergency remained an option if the situation deteriorated, although he considered partial curfews “more appropriate” at the time.
“I’ve asked the prefects to implement a number of curfews for this evening,” Lecornu said, adding that “the key issues” include both “the protection of people, but also of property and businesses”.
Macron Rejects Minister’s Resignation
Meanwhile, President Emmanuel Macron has rejected an offer by Interior Minister Laurent Nunez to resign following the violence.
The Élysée Palace said Macron wanted Nunez to remain in office to maintain the chain of command within the police and security services.
The president also directed the minister to develop new strategies for tackling looting and ensure transparency regarding security failures that contributed to the unrest.
According to the presidency, Macron specifically asked Nunez to “take all necessary steps to ensure transparency over the failures in planning and intelligence that led to the violence”.
Nunez admitted that security forces had struggled to contain the situation during Saturday’s demonstrations.
“On Saturday in some major cities, you couldn’t look shopkeepers in the eye after hundreds of shops had been looted and tell them we hadn’t lost control,” he said.
The interior minister also acknowledged shortcomings in the deployment of security personnel, explaining that authorities had underestimated the scale of the unrest and lacked sufficient personnel to manage the large crowds involved in rioting and looting.
Thousands Arrested as Violence Spreads
France’s Interior Ministry reported that more than 2,300 people were arrested during the weekend protests, while nearly 1,000 police officers and gendarmes sustained injuries.
Protesters also suffered injuries, including one demonstrator whose hand was blown off by a police crowd-control grenade.
Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin later put the number of people taken into police custody nationwide at more than 2,330, with approximately 70 per cent of those arrested being adults.
Authorities deployed an estimated 60,000 law enforcement personnel across the country on Saturday. In Paris, about 350 people were arrested on Sunday and overnight.
Despite a return to relative calm, incidents of looting continued on Sunday.
Paris Mayor, Emmanuel Grégoire, said approximately 30 shops in the capital had been targeted, describing the scenes as “unbearable”.
Mayors of several major French cities have demanded explanations from the government over what they described as inadequate preparation by security forces.
Protests Driven by Economic and Education Concerns
The demonstrations brought together students demanding improvements to the country’s education system and residents protesting against the rising cost of living and declining public services.
More than 500,000 people reportedly participated in Saturday’s nationwide protests, during which rioters attacked town halls, police stations and other government buildings.
The unrest followed weeks of demonstrations by high school students over overcrowded classrooms, teacher shortages and inadequate investment in education.
The protests also involved members of the Yellow Vest movement, which organised widespread demonstrations between 2018 and 2020 over fuel prices and broader economic grievances.
The latest violence comes six months before France’s next presidential election, amid growing concerns over the country’s weak economy and rising national debt.
According to France 24, the Yellow Vest movement has called for another round of demonstrations on Saturday, raising concerns about the possibility of renewed unrest.
