France imposes night curfews in several cities after violent protests, Over 2,500 arrested

Advertisement

New Delhi: France has imposed partial night curfews in Paris and several other cities after a violent weekend of riots, looting and clashes.

The incident led to over 2,500 arrests and close to 1,000 injuries to security personnel, with about 3,000 shops being damaged.

To stem the violence and safeguard businesses, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu mandated localised restrictions. The Prime Minister’s office said four northern towns would have a 8 pm to 6 am curfew on Monday and Tuesday.

The protests initially started as a student rebellion, led by students who wanted improved conditions in schools. However, the movement swiftly grew into protests against the increase in prices and the lack of investment in public services.

Thousands of protesters also marched in the streets of France on Saturday, with estimates indicating there may have been as many as half a million.

Many protests started out peacefully but masked groups later turned against the police, looted shops, torched vehicles and struck out at government buildings.

Advertisement

Protesters also halted access to the Louvre Museum in Paris on Monday, which caused the museum to be temporarily shut.

The ongoing crisis has put extra pressure on Emmanuel Macron’s government over its approach to law and order.

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez presented his resignation in the wake of the violence but Macron refused to accept it. Lecornu has not excluded harsher legal actions if the unrest persists while the government has accused extremists and opportunistic looters for some of the violence.

The EU denounced the attacks but said the right to peaceful protest must be upheld.

Police are still trying to get things under control as organisers continue to demonstrate.

Also Read: Embassy advises Indian nationals in Italy to exercise caution amid protests and demonstrations

Advertisement