Several cities in France, including Paris and Nice, have imposed nighttime curfews banning residents from leaving their homes after the Prime Minister granted authority to manage potential unrest caused by protesters.
Foreign news agencies reported that after French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu authorized local governors and mayors to implement emergency measures as deemed necessary, many major cities across France immediately announced curfews and temporary travel restrictions overnight on Monday, 19 Oct 2026 GMT+7.
In Paris, authorities banned public movement from 11:00 p.m. on 19 Oct until 6:00 a.m. on 20 Oct local time. The order covers parts of the capital, especially the Place de la République, a focal point of protests over the past weekend.
Additionally, Paris authorities prohibited gatherings from 8:00 p.m. onwards and banned carrying weapons, fireworks, or flammable substances such as oil and gas.
In Nice, the mayor imposed a "youth curfew" from 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. the following day, effective nightly until Sunday, 25 Oct. The ban also includes carrying fireworks, flammable materials, and personal protective gear that could be used to cause disturbances, such as windproof or ski goggles.
Lyon declared a curfew from 9:00 p.m. on Monday until 6:00 a.m. on Tuesday local time and prohibited all protests and gatherings in the city center.
Beyond these three major cities, the town of Coulaines in the northwest enforced a youth curfew starting at 11:00 p.m., while northern cities such as Lille, Douai, Wattignies, and Denain imposed curfews from 8:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.
This latest development followed a statement from Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu condemning the riots and looting across multiple cities during the past weekend, which reportedly affected around 2,000 businesses.
In his statement, Lecornu declared, "We will not surrender to manipulation and domination by destructive groups, thieves, and hooligans."
The unrest began in September when student groups protested their school living conditions but escalated to cover issues like living costs, fuel prices, and dissatisfaction with President Emmanuel Macron's government.
Lecornu said the movement is led by "far-left extremist groups" aiming to "create chaos" ahead of the 2027 French presidential election.
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Source:bbc