The French government has instructed prefects to impose targeted curfews in areas at the highest risk of further unrest following the protests on 17–18 October. According to the authorities, law enforcement officers detained at least 2,400 people, whilst at least 3,000 commercial premises were damaged or looted. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced the decision on 19 October.
Briefly about the main points
- Prefects will determine the areas and duration of targeted restrictions.
- The government is not considering imposing a general curfew on Paris.
- In Marseille, gatherings were specifically banned on Monday until the evening.
- An arson attack in Limoges brought routine public services at the town hall to a halt.
- Some of the organisers have scheduled new protests for 24 October.
Restrictions will be determined at local level
According to Lecornu, a partial curfew should be imposed only in areas where there is a risk of further riots, arson and robberies is the highest. Local authorities will determine the specific areas and the duration of the restrictions.
There are no plans to impose a curfew across the whole of Paris. The Prime Minister has also not ruled out declaring a state of emergency should the situation deteriorate; however, as of 19 October, the government had not taken such a decision.
In Marseille, a specific precautionary measure has been in place since 19 October: from 12:00 to 20:00 local time, all demonstrations and gatherings are prohibited there. This ban does not constitute a general curfew for the city’s residents.
The protests began over the cost of living and the state of public services
The protests began on 17 October amid discontent over the rising cost of living, fuel prices, the state of public services and educational conditions. The French authorities estimated the number of participants in Saturday’s demonstrations at around 550,000, whilst the organisers put the figure at 800,000.
Most protests took place peacefully. At the same time, in Paris, Marseille, Lyon and other cities, small groups of protesters clashed with the police, set cars alight, vandalised public buildings and looted shops.
It was reported that hundreds of law enforcement officers had been injured. The Minister of the Interior Laurent Núñez acknowledged that the security forces had lost control of the situation in certain major cities.
A fire in Limoges destroyed the roof of the historic town hall
On 17 October, unknown individuals set fire to the Limoges Town Hall in central France, which was built in the late 19th century. The fire engulfed the roof and the upper part of the building; the roof collapsed and the building itself suffered extensive damage.
Mayor Guillaume Guérin condemned the arson attack, describing the town hall as an important part of the town’s cultural heritage. Due to the fire, it is temporarily impossible to hold regular public consultations in the building, so some administrative services are being organised in an alternative format.
According to Le Monde, on 18 October, around 7,000 people took to the streets in Limoges to protest against violence and show their support for the city.
Macron kept the minister in post and instructed him to review police tactics
Emmanuel Macron condemned the arson attacks and riots and stressed the need to distinguish between peaceful protesters and those involved in violence. Following criticism of the security forces’ actions, Núñez offered his resignation, but the President did not accept it, citing the need to maintain leadership of the security forces during the crisis.
The President has ordered an investigation into shortcomings in the police’s preparations for the protests and has instructed that public order tactics be changed as soon as possible. Meanwhile, the mayors of major cities are criticising the government for the insufficient number of law enforcement officers present during the demonstrations and are demanding explanations regarding the widespread damage.
Some of the organisers have already announced new performances for Saturday, 24 October. The police are continuing to identify those involved in the arson attacks, assaults and robberies, and to assess the full extent of the damage.
