A woman walks past burned-out cars following a quiet night under curfew in Paris. This response comes after weekend protests over living costs turned into widespread rioting and looting across France.
Fresh curfews were implemented in the city centers of Paris and Lyon on Tuesday. This marked the first calm night since France experienced its most intense rioting in years. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced plans for a significant security operation for upcoming protests.
Paris and Lyon Implement Curfews
The Paris police enforced curfews in designated areas, specifically around Place de la République and Les Halles shopping district. Authorities mentioned this has restored ‘public peace,’ and curfews would continue as needed. These zones exclude other impacted areas during last Saturday’s unrest, such as the Champs-Elysées and around Saint-Lazare train station.
Similarly, Lyon enforced a city center curfew from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m., noting no overnight disturbances. Marseille, France’s second-largest city, also applied a curfew for unaccompanied minors.
Lecornu credited the targeted curfews for the night’s calmness. Student unions and ‘yellow vest’ groups, notable for protests since 2018, have scheduled more protests for Saturday.
Security Measures and Arrests
Soldiers from the anti-terrorism Sentinelle operation will handle safeguarding critical sites, freeing police for crowd control, as stated by Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez.
Police detained a suspect in an arson attack on the historic city hall in Limoges. Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin mentioned the suspect might have ties to radical environmentalist movements and was on a security watchlist. Darmanin refrained from commenting on the suspect’s background, suggesting far-left groups might be organizing attacks.
Footage of the burning 143-year-old building went viral over the weekend, drawing reactions from various global figures. French officials blame far-left factions and looters for the unrest.
Legal Consequences and Ongoing Protests
In Lille, Justice Minister Darmanin stated 149 people were jailed, and over 800 of the roughly 2,400 arrested had appeared before prosecutors. The French justice system intends to employ an ‘extremely firm’ approach, aiming for severe penalties.
The National Assembly is investigating the recent violence and law enforcement’s strategy, expecting results by year-end.
Protests persisted on a smaller scale, with approximately 400 students gathering in Rennes and 750 in Lyon.
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