Protestsupdated 1h ago2 min read
Couple Drinks Cocktails Near Arc de Triomphe as Protests Burn in Paris
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Couple calmly sips drinks at outdoor cafe near Arc de Triomphe amid nearby protests. Flames and burning trash visible metres away as the couple remains seated.
Arc de Triomphe unrest
A viral video showed a couple drinking cocktails and smoking near the Arc de Triomphe in Paris on Saturday (17) while major protests took place in central Paris, with a burning trash can visible in the background. The protests unfolded after students, unionists, and remnants of the Yellow Vests movement united to protest the high cost of living and the weakening of France's social model. The wave of uprisings began last month in high schools in the northern suburbs of Paris, where anger over teacher shortages and deteriorating facilities turned into a national movement against inequality and low public investments by the government.
French authorities announced curfews for this Monday (19) and Tuesday (20) in several northern cities, and residents of affected areas in the French capital would not be able to circulate between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. nor participate in demonstrations between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu defended the curfews after looting occurred over the weekend, and the prime minister’s office said residents of Lille, Douai, Wattignies, and Denain would not be able to circulate on the streets between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. for the next two nights.
Deaths, arrests, injuries
French authorities said one protester has died, nearly 1,000 security officers have been injured, and about 2,400 people have been detained. The Yellow Vests movement announced plans to continue demonstrations next Saturday (24), dubbed “Act 2.” In a Sunday evening address, President Emmanuel Macron condemned the violence of the protests and said local authorities could ban demonstrations if necessary.
On Monday, Macron acknowledged police failures during the protests and urged Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez to explain the failures. Nuñez said the 60,000-strong police contingent mobilized was not sufficient to contain the demonstrators, while Lecornu accused the “far left” of provoking disturbances and Le Pen said her main rival Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s party “legitimizes violence.”
Security review and curfews
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu instructed prefects, the government’s regional representatives, to implement “very limited” and “localised” curfews to restrict further looting and rioting after weekend violence targeted city halls and other public buildings. The French Interior Ministry said nearly 2,400 people have been arrested nationwide, and the head of France’s Chambers of Commerce and Industry said more than 2,000 businesses were affected by the violent demonstrations across the country. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said police had “lost control” and there was a “lack of anticipation” from officers.
Macron ordered a review of security failures and rejected the resignation of Nuñez, who earlier offered to resign from his position but was asked to continue by Macron. In Paris, police deployed tear gas and water cannons as confrontations intensified, while fires engulfed vehicles and other objects in the streets, and shops and public buildings were also targeted in several cities.