France’s prime minister calls for localised curfews in cities to curb rioting and looting

French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu has ordered regional representatives to impose "very limited" and "localised" curfews in cities to curb ongoing rioting and looting. This follows violent protests last weekend that targeted city halls, public buildings, and numerous businesses across the country. Prime Minister Lecornu acknowledged that while no one was killed, the scenes of severe violence and extensive property damage were a "miracle" and defended the actions of police officers.

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez submitted his resignation citing responsibility for the current unrest, but President Emmanuel Macron refused it, requesting instead new policing tactics to end the violent events. At least 2,400 people were arrested, and nearly 2,400 businesses were damaged or looted during the weekend unrest. In Marseille, a curfew was imposed from noon to 8 p.m. The Prime Minister attributed the violence to "hordes of troublemakers and looters" and "far-left activists," emphasizing the need for better anticipation of such mobilizations.

Cleanup crews in Paris were seen clearing shattered glass and debris from the streets as shop owners like Ouri Zagoury expressed frustration with police intervention during the looting.