France’s prime minister has called on regional authorities to introduce partial curfews in some cities following a wave of violent protests that exposed serious shortcomings in the country’s security response.
Sébastien Lecornu made the announcement after an emergency cabinet meeting on Monday, insisting the government was determined to restore public order. He said local, targeted curfews were currently more appropriate than imposing restrictions across entire cities, including Paris.
Lecornu also warned that a state of emergency remained an option if the situation deteriorated further.
Authorities confirmed that overnight curfews would operate from 8pm to 6am on Monday and Tuesday in four northern cities, including Lille. Restrictions were also reported around Place de la République and the Les Halles district in Paris.
Meanwhile, Marseille introduced its own ban on gatherings and demonstrations on Monday, as French unions announced plans for another round of strikes and rallies on November 5.
The measures follow a particularly violent weekend of demonstrations, during which public buildings were attacked, a town hall was set alight and an estimated 2,000 shops were looted or ransacked.
According to authorities, almost 2,400 people were arrested, approximately 70% of whom were adults. Nearly 1,000 police officers and gendarmes were injured during the unrest.
France’s interior minister, Laurent Nuñez, admitted that police had been unprepared for the scale of the demonstrations. Intelligence agencies had reportedly expected around 200,000 protesters nationwide, but the final figure exceeded 500,000.
Nuñez offered his resignation to President Emmanuel Macron, accepting responsibility for the security failures. However, Macron rejected the offer and instructed him to improve transparency around intelligence gathering, planning and policing operations.
The president also demanded new measures to help security forces respond more effectively to violent groups.
Paris mayor Emmanuel Grégoire said around 30 shops had been targeted in the capital on Sunday, while another 350 people were arrested overnight. He criticised the state’s handling of the crisis, warning that the growing social movement could continue without a constructive political solution.
The unrest has developed amid weeks of student demonstrations, growing economic pressures and concerns over the cost of living, with a presidential election approaching.
The Louvre Museum was also prevented from opening on Monday after protesters blocked entrances in support of the student movement and against what they described as police repression.
France’s government is now under mounting pressure to restore order while addressing the concerns driving the demonstrations.
Credit: The Guardian
