French cities experienced a calmer night following the nationwide implementation of local curfews designed to curb days of escalating riots, looting, and civil unrest, according to Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu.
The unrest initially began last month as student demonstrations over school conditions before broadening into widespread disorder that impacted an estimated 2,000 businesses and led to roughly 2,400 arrests. In response, Prime Minister Lecornu granted local authorities the emergency power to enforce overnight restrictions, declaring that the government would not be dictated to by lawbreakers and thieves.
Curfew measures took effect across multiple regions, including parts of central Paris from 23:00 to 06:00 local time, youth-specific restrictions in Nice announced by Mayor Eric Ciotti, and additional measures in northern cities such as Lille. Officials reported that the restrictions successfully helped quiet the streets overnight, while leaders continue to grapple with the underlying unrest.