French authorities have announced overnight curfews in parts of Paris and Nice after a weekend of protests, riots and looting spread across the country. The measures are due to begin at 11 p.m. local time and remain in place until 6 a.m, according to BBC News.
In Paris, police said the curfew would apply to parts of the city centre. In the southern city of Nice, Mayor Eric Ciotti announced a curfew aimed specifically at young people. Restrictions were also introduced in northern cities, including Lille, as officials tried to prevent another night of violence.
The move came after French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu gave local authorities the power to impose curfews. His decision followed two days of disorder in which around 2,000 businesses are believed to have been affected by riots and looting.
In a strongly worded statement, Lecornu said: “We will not be dictated and ruled by the breakers, by the thieves, by the thugs.”
The unrest began last month when students protested over conditions in schools. But the demonstrations have since widened, drawing in people with a broader range of grievances and turning increasingly confrontational.
Lecornu accused “ultra-left radical groups” of trying to create chaos ahead of France’s 2027 presidential election. His comments reflect the government’s concern that the protests could become a wider political crisis.
More than half a million people joined demonstrations across France on Saturday. By Sunday, the situation had grown more violent: police made more than 350 arrests in Paris alone, and at least five shops were looted in the capital.
The curfews mark one of the toughest responses to the unrest so far. For residents, shopkeepers and commuters, they bring a sudden return of restrictions to city streets that had already been shaken by smoke, broken windows and running battles with police.
Officials hope the night-time measures will restore calm. But with anger still visible on the streets and political tensions rising, it remains unclear whether the curfews will end the violence or only postpone it.
