Localized Curfews Announced Amid Nationwide Unrest in France

French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has declared that localized curfews will be implemented as a measure to reduce the rioting and looting that have swept through the country in recent days.

Following a meeting with ministers at the Hôtel de Matignon, Lecornu addressed concerns raised by shopkeepers all over France, stating that “localized” curfews are necessary to curb the ongoing looting incidents.

He emphasized that the authorities are dealing with a “geographically very disparate situation,” mentioning the “chaos in urban centers.” The aim is to ensure that looting does not become established, and he stated that a detailed map of the curfew zones will be made available later on Monday.

The prime minister remarked that a state of emergency has not yet been warranted, suggesting that a curfew might be a more suitable response for the current situation. He noted, “If necessary, of course we could… To date, a curfew seems more appropriate to the situation.”

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez, who had offered his resignation over the government’s handling of the riots—a move that President Macron rejected—announced that police forces will be “reinforced this weekend” in anticipation of further protests. He also mentioned plans to introduce “a number of measures to contain and prevent looters and vandals” by Monday evening.

Nuñez indicated that there is ongoing consideration regarding strategies for maintaining order, managing riots, and addressing urban violence.

Commerce Minister Serge Papin reported that over 3,000 businesses across France incurred damages and losses due to looting over the weekend, with losses potentially amounting to hundreds of millions of euros.

Despite significant arrests on Saturday, the disturbances continued into Sunday, particularly in central Paris, where young individuals wearing hoods and Palestinian keffiyehs seemed to operate with minimal interference from the police.

One police officer described the situation as “unbearable violence” and expressed frustration over the limited resources available to law enforcement.

Videos circulating online depicted rioters actively targeting police; in one instance, a female officer had to flee her vehicle as hooded youths swarmed and shattered its windows.

Rioters once again targeted high-end retailers, breaking into stores such as Louis Vuitton on the Champs-Élysées, Goyard near Place Vendôme, and BHV in the Marais district. The Art Deco George V luxury hotel also suffered attacks, with reports of broken jewelry store windows accompanied by shouts of “Wallah.”

In the city center, a prolonged clash between rioters unfolded in the Les Halles area, where looters raided shops, set fires, and hurled stones into windows.

More alarming was the attack on residential buildings, including an apartment complex in the 10th arrondissement, where a group of young men in black were seen forcibly entering the building.

In a shocking instance captured on video, a resident attempted to deter rioters by pouring what looked like boiling water from his window, only to be met with projectiles thrown back at him.

Prime Minister Lecornu described it as a “miracle” that there were no fatalities during the chaos and attributed the unrest to an “ultra-left movement” seeking to disrupt the country leading up to the upcoming presidential elections.

He stressed, “There’s no question of violent minorities imposing an agenda of violence and preventing us from holding this election,” promising to safeguard the democratic process from such influences.

However, Lecornu has not clarified what specific actions will be taken against these far-left groups. Critics, including Éric Ciotti, the Mayor of Nice, have called for the banning of groups like Antifa, which they believe are inciting disorder during the “Islamo-Leftist” riots.

This notion was echoed by Jordan Bardella, leader of the National Rally, who proposed that Antifa affiliates should be placed on the government’s terrorism watchlist. Bardella also pledged that if Marine Le Pen and the National Rally win the next election, their administration will initiate a “penal backlash” aimed at “neutralizing those who behave like vandals, looters, and barbarians” and ending the longstanding culture of excuses that has led to judicial leniency.