Protestsupdated 1h ago2 min read
Sébastien Lecornu Orders Partial Localized Curfews After October 17 Protests
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Lecornu instructed prefects to impose partial, localized curfews in targeted cities. Measures include a broad judicial operation and police reinforcements after weekend violence.
Curfews and a judicial push
French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu asked prefects to “trigger a certain number of curfews” that would be “partial” and “localized” after the October 17 protests. Lecornu said the curfews would be put in place “for this evening” as part of “the protection of property and businesses,” and he told reporters that it was “out of the question to put all of Paris under curfew.”
Laurent Nuñez promised police and gendarmerie reinforcements “especially this weekend,” while the government also said it would launch “a very important, massive judicial operation, which starts today.” The government tied the measures to the weekend’s violence and looting, and Lecornu said “There have been no deaths, and it is a miracle that the toll isn’t heavier.”
Arrests, damage, and business aid
France’s Paris public prosecutor’s office announced the arrest of at least 146 people after “acts of violence and looting,” and it said the capital saw the destruction of 36 shops and looting of 33 of them. The same account said fires hit 176 sites in Paris, while it also described the violence as part of a broader weekend that prompted the government to impose partial curfews.
Sébastien Lecornu said the government would trigger partial unemployment starting tomorrow at 100% for businesses affected by damages and looting, and he framed it as a way to prevent “social damage.” Lecornu also said the government would unlock “a specific support fund” for affected businesses, and he linked the need for cash flow to the fact that “many shopkeepers had already stocked up, including for Christmas.”
Act II and political fallout
The Yellow Vests coordination announced an “Act II” for Saturday, October 24, and it said its online map already listed “several dozen actions.” Sébastien Lecornu accused the “ultra-left” of wanting “to organize a profound disorder in the country until the presidential election,” and he said there was “a whole nebula” that could challenge the election schedule.
Emmanuel Macron rejected Laurent Nuñez’s resignation after Nuñez admitted the police had “lost control” in some cities, and Macron’s office said it was due to “the need for continued command of law enforcement in the current context.” Nuñez told France Inter that he “submitted my resignation because I am responsible for everything that is happening,” while he said the “real issue is ensuring that this doesn’t happen again.”