Paris police issued an overnight curfew in two areas of the French capital, after a weekend marred by France’s worst rioting in years that targeted city halls, other public buildings and thousands of businesses across the country.
Mr. Mass protests in France are often tainted by violence on the fringes of otherwise peaceful marches, leading to clashes with police. The curfew will be in effect from 11 pm on Monday until 6 am on Tuesday. In addition, gatherings and demonstrations are banned from 8 pm, the Paris police said. In northern France, local authorities imposed a curfew for children and teenagers under age 18 in several cities, including Lille, starting from Monday (October 19, 2026) and for the next two days from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Nice, on the French Riviera, also imposed an overnight curfew for minors from 9 p.m. Saturday’s unrest recalled the riots that followed the fatal police shooting of a teenager in 2023, when authorities imposed local curfews, and violence during the yellow vest movement that began in 2018 over fuel prices and broader economic grievances.
The order issued on Monday (October 19, 2026) aims to protect “people and property from the violence and looting”, the Paris police statement said. Lecornu defended police handling of the unrest, saying that “despite scenes of severe violence and extensive property damage, no one was killed, and that is a miracle”.
