French PM Seeks Local Curfews After Mass Protests Lead to Looting and 2,400 Arrests

French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu has instructed regional prefects to put very limited and localised curfews in place to stop more rioting and looting. Weekend violence across the country targeted city halls, other public buildings, and thousands of businesses during nationwide protests on October 17 against rising living costs and poor conditions in schools. At least 2,400 people were arrested across the country, and authorities estimate that at least 3,000 businesses were damaged or looted in several cities.

Official Reactions And Resignation

Speaking after an emergency meeting with top government officials, Mr. Lecornu defended the work of police officers faced with violent groups of people. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez offered his resignation Sunday, but President Emmanuel Macron refused it. President Macron instructed Mr. Nunez to ensure full transparency about planning and intelligence failures that led to the violence, and asked for new policing tactics on the ground as quickly as possible. Mr. Nunez acknowledged that authorities had lost control in some major cities on Saturday, and blamed the violence on hordes of troublemakers, looters, and far-left activists.

Ground Impact And Political Fallout

In Marseille, the prefect banned any protest or other gathering from noon to 8 p.m. Monday. In Paris, cleanup crews and firefighters cleared shattered glass and other debris from the streets on Monday. Ouri Zagoury, owner of a video game shop near Paris' Place de la République, said looters forced their way in while he watched on surveillance cameras, and police told him not to intervene and never arrived. Meanwhile, Jordan Bardella, president of the far-right National Rally, criticized the government for failing to protect the French people and called on the people of France to use their voting power.

Context

France has a long history of public demonstrations and strikes over economic issues like the cost of living and fuel prices. Regional prefects in France act as the central government's direct representatives in local departments and regions. Public protests in major European cities can occasionally be infiltrated by violent groups, leading to clashes with law enforcement and property damage.