France began enforcing local overnight curfews in parts of Paris and other cities on Monday, October 19, following weekend protests over living costs and school conditions that turned into riots, looting, and attacks on public buildings.
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu asked regional officials to use limited restrictions to protect people and businesses instead of ordering a nationwide curfew. In Paris, police banned people from gathering in or entering the Place de la République and the Les Halles shopping area overnight. A broader ban on demonstrations in Paris had already started earlier in the evening.
In the north, Lille and the nearby towns of Douai, Wattignies, and Denain set curfews for two nights. Other cities, including Lyon and Nice, also announced restrictions, with some applying only to minors. The unrest followed weeks of demonstrations that started with student complaints about school conditions and widened into protests against rising living costs.
Although many people marched peacefully, groups on the edges of the protests clashed with police, looted shops, and set fires. The historic city hall in Limoges was destroyed by fire. Authorities reported more than 2,400 arrests.
Officials said that hundreds of businesses had suffered damage or looting. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez acknowledged that police had lost control in some cities and offered to resign. President Emmanuel Macron asked Nuñez to stay in his post.
Lecornu said declaring a state of emergency remained possible. Meanwhile, organizers called for another round of protests on Saturday.