France’s prime minister says local officials may order more curfews after calm night
Sébastien Lecornu said prefects would coordinate with mayors on further targeted restrictions on 20 October, after police reported no major incidents overnight.
France may impose more local curfews on 20 October after weekend unrest, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said, with prefects and mayors to decide where restrictions are needed. Police reported no major incidents across the country overnight following curfews in Paris and other cities, according to AFP.
Lecornu wrote on X that targeted curfews had contributed to the calm. ‘Tonight new curfews will be decided where the situation requires it,’ he said, adding that prefects would make those decisions on the ground in coordination with mayors. He did not identify which areas would receive additional restrictions.
Where the existing French curfews apply
Authorities announced partial curfews on Monday, 19 October, after violence that followed demonstrations two days earlier. In Paris, restrictions barred people from Place de la République and the Les Halles shopping district from 11 p.m. Monday until 6 a.m. Tuesday, Deutsche Welle reported. The measures covered specific areas rather than the whole capital.
In northern France, curfews for minors were put in place in Lille, Douai, Wattignies and Denain, running from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. over the next two days, DW reported, citing Reuters, which quoted sources in Lecornu’s office. Nice also had a curfew for minors in its city centre. AFP reported that restrictions in Bordeaux and Nice were set to remain in force for several days, while some others initially covered only Monday night into Tuesday.
How the weekend unrest led to restrictions
The curfews followed nationwide protests on 17 October over high fuel prices, inflation and underinvestment in public services, PBS NewsHour reported. Its correspondent Ross Cullen said more than 600,000 people joined peaceful rallies, before violence damaged or ransacked at least 3,000 businesses. The government has faced criticism over its handling of the unrest and has pledged to restore order.
Lecornu said curfews appeared more appropriate to the situation than a state of emergency, according to PBS NewsHour. He did not rule out emergency measures if they became necessary. His latest announcement leaves decisions on any further restrictions with local prefects and mayors on Tuesday evening.
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Sources and context
- France to impose new curfews where necessary: PMDawn, carrying AFP reporting
- French authorities impose partial curfews in Paris, NiceDeutsche Welle
- French authorities impose curfews after weekend riotingPBS NewsHour
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.