French prime minister announces localized curfews in Paris after apartment looting
On Monday, Oct. 19, French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu announced the implementation of localized curfews in Paris in response to rioting and looting that had targeted residential apartments over the previous two days.
Lecornu made the statement after a meeting of ministers at the Hôtel de Matignon, emphasizing that his "determination to restore order is absolute" while ruling out a blanket curfew for the capital. He said a map of the curfew zones would be published later and that the government had not yet deemed a state of emergency necessary, though it remains an option.
The curfews come after a weekend of nationwide unrest that saw protesters clash with police, widespread shop vandalism and the looting of luxury boutiques on the Champs‑Élysées and in the Place Vendôme. More than 3,000 businesses were reported damaged, with losses estimated in the hundreds of millions of euros.
In Paris, rioters broke into an apartment building in the 10th arrondissement, prompting a viral video of a resident pouring boiling water from his window in an attempt to deter the intruders. Police injuries approached 1,000 officers, and 2,400 people were arrested. One protester died of cardiac arrest on Saturday.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez, whose offer to resign over the security failures was rejected by President Emmanuel Macron, said police and gendarmerie forces would be reinforced over the weekend. He also announced a series of measures to contain looters and vandals.
Lecornu blamed “an ultra‑left movement” for seeking to create “profound unrest” ahead of the upcoming presidential election, a claim that was challenged by far‑left presidential candidate Jean‑Luc Melenchon, who demanded evidence. The mayoral leadership of Paris, Marseille and Lyon, in a joint op‑ed, warned that sections of their cities felt “left without protection” during the violence.
Beyond security, the government pledged furlough measures for affected workers starting Tuesday, aiming to alleviate the economic strain on shop owners and employees who saw years of effort wiped out in hours.
The next step will be the publication of the curfew map and continued monitoring of unrest as the country heads toward a critical election period.
