Curfews to be imposed where necessary, France PM says prefects and mayors will call the shots

On Monday, Paris authorities implemented an overnight curfew in two districts of the French capital following weeks of unrest across the country. The curfew, effective from 11pm Monday until 6am Tuesday, was ordered to shield "people and property from violence and looting." It prohibits entry into or presence in Place de la Republique, site of Saturday's riots, and the Les Halles shopping area, which has faced multiple looting incidents.

Gatherings and demonstrations are also banned from 8pm on Monday. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu had previously called for localized curfews. In northern France, children and teenagers under 18 faced curfews from 8pm to 6am Monday and Tuesday in cities like Lille and Nice. Prime Minister Lecornu defended police handling of the unrest, stating "no one was killed, and that is a miracle," despite scenes of "severe violence and extensive property damage."

President Macron accepted Interior Minister Laurent Nunez's resignation due to perceived failures in planning and intelligence-gathering that led to the violence, asking for new policing tactics to curb the unrest. Over 2,400 people were arrested across France, with at least 3,000 businesses damaged or looted. Authorities estimate significant economic damage in cities like Marseille and Paris, with Nunez blaming "troublemakers and looters" for the violence, attributing the need for better anticipations of such mobilizations.