French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu says targeted curfews imposed in Paris and other cities helped bring a calm night to France on Monday, after several days of protests that turned into some of the worst rioting in years.
Writing on X on Tuesday, Mr Lecornu said: “Targeted curfews have contributed to calm overnight.” He thanked police officers and gendarmes for enforcing the measures. Police confirmed that the night passed without major incidents anywhere in the country.
The Prime Minister said further curfews would be decided on Tuesday night “where the situation requires it.” These decisions will be made locally by prefects, working with mayors.
The unrest began with large demonstrations on Saturday, when more than half a million people took to the streets across France. The protests were against the cost of living and rising fuel prices. They were joined by high school and university students, teachers and parents demanding better conditions in schools, as well as the “Yellow Vests” movement, trade unions, workers, farmers and retirees. On Saturday and Sunday, groups set fire to bins, bicycles and other objects and looted shops in Paris, Lyon, Marseille and other cities.
On Monday, Mr Lecornu asked prefects to impose “very limited” and “localised” curfews to protect people, property and businesses. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez admitted that police had “lost control” during the weekend protests. Mr Lecornu said a state of emergency could be declared if needed, but that partial curfews seemed “more appropriate” for now.
Curfews were announced in parts of central Paris, with the Paris restrictions running until 4am. Bordeaux and Nice also introduced curfews, which were set to stay in force for several days. Some curfews applied only to minors, including in Lyon, Nice and Coulaines. In the northern city of Lille, a curfew ran from 6pm to 4am on Monday and Tuesday nights, and also covered Douai, Wattignies and Denain.
During the night, a helicopter flew over Place de la République in Paris, one of the main centres of the unrest, shining a searchlight across the square to monitor compliance. The PSG–Barcelona Champions League match was confirmed to go ahead as planned on Tuesday, and other European matches this week were not affected.
The scale of the disorder is large. Officials say more than 2,500 people have been arrested since the unrest began, and police investigators are studying online videos and images to track down looters. About 1,000 police officers have been injured, and news agency AFP reported that one demonstrator’s hand was blown off by a police crowd-control grenade.
The business cost is also growing. Preliminary estimates say at least 3,000 businesses have been hit. Patrick Martin, head of the Medef business lobby, accused the state of having “failed” during the unrest. Finance Minister Roland Lescure has promised support measures for shopkeepers and craftspeople.
In Lyon, around 500 people gathered on Monday evening outside the tourism office that was set on fire, despite a ban on demonstrations. Organisers said they were showing support for shopkeepers affected by looting. A banner nearby read “Doucet Resign,” a reference to the city’s Green mayor, Grégory Doucet.
The government has been accused of failing to anticipate and contain the violence. It held further emergency meetings on Tuesday, including talks with representatives of major social media platforms. The unrest comes only six months before France elects a successor to President Emmanuel Macron, and similar cost-of-living protests are spreading to other European countries.
