Shame of Europe: France imposes curfews to stop growing riots amid unrest

Curfews follow weekend violence

Parts of Paris, Lille and Marseille were under curfew on Monday night after anti-government demonstrations escalated into riots. More cities could be affected following an appeal from prime minister Sebastien Lecornu on Monday morning.

Lecornu said his resolve to restore order was absolute after an emergency meeting about a crisis that has lasted weeks. Downing Street said British police had the powers and resources to protect the public if similar unrest reached the UK.

Arrests and damage in Paris

At Place Vendome, luxury shops and hotels were heavily guarded on Monday, with many stores closed. The entrance to a Dior boutique was smashed, while windows at Rolex, Louis Vuitton, Ralph Lauren and Gucci stores in central Paris were damaged.

Paris Centre mayor Ariel Weil said he had requested a curfew and army deployment the previous day. He told BFM TV that measures were needed to prevent looting and blamed far-left groups for some of the unrest.

Mayor voices alarm

Weil described the country’s standing in Europe in stark terms. He told BFM TV, “We are the shame of Europe this morning,” and said he felt the Republic had been brought to its knees.

A statement cited a feeling that parts of cities had been left without protection on Saturday. The reporting does not identify who issued that statement.

Protests spread across Europe

Demonstrations that began in France last month, initially with students protesting poor school facilities, have expanded across the continent. The weekend protests reflected concerns about living costs, a shortage of affordable housing and worsening school conditions.

Tens of thousands marched in central Lisbon on Saturday over rising living costs and the housing crisis. The account also links weeks of demonstrations in Spain to prime minister Pedro Sanchez’s call for a snap general election.

In Italy, prime minister Giorgia Meloni approved an emergency decree on Monday. Measures include longer preventive detention for minors, restrictions on gatherings by people found responsible for group violence and acts of devastation, and deferred arrests in some property-damage cases.