# France calls for curfews amid unrest

> France imposes partial curfews after violent protests over cost of living.
- Title: France calls for curfews amid unrest · Dawn | Shortify
- Summary: France imposes partial curfews after violent protests over cost of living. France's government implemented partial curfews in Paris and other cities…
- Keywords: france, prime minister, sebastien lecornu, unrest, cost of living, curfews, paris, lille, lyon, marseille, interior minister, laurent nunez
- Source: Dawn — https://dawn.com/news/2038277/french-prime-minister-calls-for-curfews-as-govt-grapples-with-unrest
- Author: AFP
- Published: 2026-10-19T09:38:48+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: france, prime minister, sebastien lecornu, unrest, cost of living, curfews, paris, lille, lyon, marseille, interior minister, laurent nunez
## France announces curfews
France announced partial curfews in Paris and other cities on Monday after weekend demonstrations over soaring prices degenerated into violent street clashes.
## Prime Minister Lecornu
Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu stated he was 'absolutely determined to restore public order' following the interior minister's claim police had 'lost control'.
## Louvre blocked
Tourists in Paris found the Louvre closed due to a small group of student protesters blocking its entrance near the glass pyramid.
## Violence escalates
Violence erupted as masked groups attacked law enforcement, broke into public buildings, looted shops, and set fires to cars, bicycles, and scooters across France.
## Arrests and injuries
More than 2,500 people were arrested and nearly 1,000 security forces injured during the weekend violence, with one demonstrator's hand blown off by a police crowd-control grenade.
## Government response
The government vowed to re-establish order while officials scrambled to contain public anger, with Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin reporting 67 jailed and dozens of criminal cases opened.
## EU and international reactions
The European Union called the violence 'unacceptable' but warned the right to peaceful protest must be protected in France, while Germany updated travel advice for France.
## Protesters' demands
Protesters demanded better school conditions for students and government action on the high cost of living, with some half a million people turning out across France on Saturday.
## Interior minister resigns
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez offered his resignation after the weekend violence, but President Emmanuel Macron refused to accept it.
## Economic impact
At least 3,000 shops were damaged, with the cost running into hundreds of millions of euros, as authorities used facial recognition on social media to identify perpetrators.
## Political context
The unrest flared just six months before France elects a new president after a decade of centrist Emmanuel Macron, with Marine Le Pen riding high in the polls.
## Government claims
The government accused ultra-left groups of stoking violence to boost far-left firebrand Jean-Luc Melenchon's chances in the presidential polls.
## International protests
Demonstrations over rising prices broke out in Milan, Belgium, Spain, and Portugal, with protesters setting up tents in Madrid and Lisbon to denounce housing costs.
## Curfew details
Partial curfews were enforced from Monday evening to Tuesday morning in Paris, Lille, and Lyon, with Paris curfew starting at 11pm and demonstrations banned from 8pm.
## Next steps
Organisers called for a new round of protests next Saturday, as the government faced accusations of failing to anticipate and respond to the violence.
## Key takeaway

France's government implemented partial curfews in Paris and other cities following violent demonstrations over rising living costs that led to over 2,500 arrests and damaged properties.