Following riots and looting in France over the past few days, authorities have imposed nighttime curfews in several cities, including parts of Paris.
According to the Paris police, a curfew will be in effect from 11:00 PM to 6:00 AM (local time) in the Place de la République and the Les Halles shopping area—locations where protesters had gathered in recent days.
Unauthorized public gatherings have also been banned in several other parts of the city center.
Partial curfews have been announced for cities in southern France—such as Marseille, Bordeaux, Nice, and Lyon—as well as for the northern city of Lille and various other towns. These restrictions include limitations on the movement of young people and prohibitions on public gatherings in certain areas.
Earlier, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez acknowledged that, in some cities, the police had lost control of the situation. He faced sharp criticism from opposition leaders regarding the preparedness to handle the law-and-order crisis.
The protests began last month, with students demanding better school facilities. Over time, the demonstrations expanded to include other issues, such as the rising cost of living. The number of protesters grew as trade unions and various activist groups joined the movement.
According to authorities, more than 2,500 people have been arrested so far. News agency AFP reports that approximately 1,000 police officers have been injured while attempting to bring the unrest under control.
Following a crisis meeting held on Monday, the Prime Minister announced that local mayors are being granted the authority to impose curfews as they deem necessary.
