French PM Lecornu: curfews contributed to a calm night after riots

French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said the curfews introduced helped ensure a calm night after weekend riots and looting. The measures were in effect in central Paris, Marseille, Bordeaux, Nice, Lyon and Lille. Since the start of the riots, more than 2,500 people have been arrested and about 1,000 police officers injured. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez admitted losing control in a number of cities and offered his resignation, which Macron rejected.

Sevara MirzayevaFirst published on tafs uz 20 October 2026 at 11:562 min read

The key facts

A curfew was imposed in parts of central Paris and several cities; PM Lecornu linked this to the calm night
More than 2,500 people arrested, about 1,000 police officers injured; one demonstrator had his hand torn off by a police grenade (AFP)
Interior Minister Nuñez offered his resignation after criticism; Macron rejected it

A calm night after the curfew

Targeted curfews introduced in France contributed to a calm night after weekend riots and looting, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said. The restrictions were in effect in parts of central Paris, including the Place de la République, where protesters had gathered over the weekend, and the Les Halles shopping district. Measures restricting the movement of young people and assemblies were also introduced in Marseille, Bordeaux, Nice and Lyon in the south, as well as in Lille and other cities in the north of the country.

Local decisions

In a post on X, Lecornu thanked police officers and gendarmes for enforcing the measures and said that the decision on curfews for Tuesday evening would be made depending on where they are needed. Such decisions, according to him, will be made 'on the ground' by the regions and city mayors.

Minister's criticism and resignation

Earlier, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez admitted that the police had 'lost control' in some cities. He came under harsh criticism from opposition politicians over preparedness for the riots and on Monday offered his resignation, which President Emmanuel Macron rejected.

Scale of the riots

According to officials, more than 2,500 people have been arrested since the start of the riots. According to the AFP news agency, one demonstrator had his arm torn off by a police crowd-control grenade. About 1,000 police officers were injured.

Origin of the protests

The protests began last month with students' demands to improve conditions in schools, but then expanded to cover a broader range of issues. The size of the demonstrations grew as trade unions and various protest groups joined in.