France Imposes Curfews as Thousands Are Arrested

The French government has imposed limited curfews in several cities, including Paris, Lille and Nice, after riots and looting swept parts of the country over the weekend. The measures are intended to restore public order after demonstrations prompted by concerns over the cost of living and education turned violent.

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said the government would introduce localised and limited restrictions according to the security threat in each area. The government has no current plans to impose a nationwide curfew across all cities.

According to The Guardian on Monday (19 October 2026), Paris police banned gatherings and demonstrations in several areas from 20:00 local time. A curfew was also imposed from 23:00 to 06:00 around Place de la République and the Les Halles shopping district.

In several northern French cities, including Lille, Douai, Wattignies and Denain, a curfew for minors was imposed from 20:00 to 06:00 for two nights. Similar restrictions were also introduced in areas including Nice and Lyon.

Lecornu stressed that the government was determined to restore security after the riots damaged public buildings and businesses. He said the government would take measures as conditions on the ground required, while the possibility of declaring a state of emergency remained open if the situation deteriorated.

“My determination to restore public order is unwavering,” Lecornu said after an emergency government meeting, Reuters reported.

Police lose control

The curfews were imposed after Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez acknowledged that police had lost control in several cities as demonstrations descended into riots.

Nuñez said the authorities had not adequately prepared for the scale of the demonstrations or the organised groups of rioters. He acknowledged shortcomings in anticipating developments, including in the deployment of personnel and the gathering of intelligence.

The government had initially expected around 200,000 people to take part in the demonstrations. However, more than 500,000 people were reported to have participated across France.

Around 60,000 police officers and security personnel were deployed to manage the protests. Even so, the number was considered insufficient to contain the violence in several major cities, including Paris, Marseille and Lyon.

Nuñez said the extent of the damage made him feel responsible. He even offered his resignation to President Emmanuel Macron.

Macron rejected the offer, citing the need to maintain continuity in security leadership while the situation remained unsettled.

Instead, Macron asked Nuñez to ensure transparency about planning and intelligence failures that contributed to the riots. The president also ordered the introduction of new operational methods to prevent looting and control groups of rioters.