France Imposes Overnight Curfews After Weekend of Riots and Looting

French authorities have imposed overnight curfews in parts of Paris and several other cities following a weekend of riots and looting that left thousands arrested, hundreds of police officers injured and businesses damaged across the country.

In Paris, police announced curfews from 11 pm to 6 am local time in Place de la République, where protesters had gathered over the weekend, and the Les Halles shopping district. Authorities have also banned unauthorised gatherings in several other parts of the city centre.

Partial curfews and restrictions on gatherings have been introduced in Marseille, Bordeaux, Nice and Lyon in the south, as well as Lille and other towns in northern France.

The measures followed a crisis meeting on Monday, after which Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu authorised local mayors to impose curfews where necessary. He did not specify which additional cities would be affected.

More than 2,500 people have been arrested in connection with the unrest, according to officials. About 1,000 police officers were injured, while one demonstrator reportedly lost a hand after a police crowd-control grenade exploded, the AFP news agency reported.

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez acknowledged that police had “lost control” in some cities. He has faced criticism from opposition politicians over the authorities’ preparedness for the disorder.

Nuñez attempted to resign on Sunday, but President Emmanuel Macron rejected the offer, citing the need for continued leadership of law enforcement, according to a statement from the Élysée Palace.

The presidential office also called for transparency over what Macron described as failures in intelligence and anticipation.

Speaking after Monday’s crisis meeting, Lecornu said the government would allocate funds to help affected areas recover from the damage, with the costs to be recovered from those responsible for the violence.

“There will be a law that will be put in place to find ways of making sure that those who have damaged properties will have to pay,” Lecornu said.

The prime minister also announced a partial unemployment support fund for people unable to work because of the riots and looting. He did not rule out declaring a state of emergency.

Meanwhile, Nuñez said 200 investigators were examining CCTV footage to identify suspected organisers and other people involved in the violence.

The head of France’s Chambers of Commerce and Industry said more than 2,000 shops and other businesses had been directly affected by the weekend’s unrest.

The protests began last month, with students calling for improved school conditions. They have since expanded to include a wider range of grievances, drawing support from trade unions and various protest groups during demonstrations over the weekend.

The government has yet to provide a comprehensive assessment of the total economic damage caused by the unrest.