French PM calls for ‘localised’ curfews in cities to curb rioting and looting

The French prime minister said he had instructed prefects to impose “very limited” and “localised” curfews in cities to prevent more rioting and looting.

The measure follows violence this weekend that notably targeted city halls, other public buildings and hundreds of businesses across the country.

Speaking after an emergency meeting with top government officials, Sebastien Lecornu said “on Saturday, despite scenes of severe violence and extensive property damage, no-one was killed, and that is a miracle” as he defended the work of police officers faced with violent groups.

Mr Lecornu said details of the areas to be placed under curfew would be provided later on Monday.

The instructions came as interior minister Laurent Nunez offered his resignation on Sunday but French President Emmanuel Macron asked him to stay to respond to police needs in an emergency situation.

Mr Macron refused Mr Nunez’s resignation “given the need for continued command of law enforcement in the current context”, according to a statement from the French leader’s office.

The French president instructed Mr Nunez “to take all necessary steps to ensure full transparency about the failures in planning and intelligence gathering that led to the violence”, Mr Macron’s office added.

Mr Macron also asked for the introduction of “new policing tactics on the ground as quickly as possible” to put an end to violent events.

On Sunday evening, groups of people set fires to bins, bicycles and other objects in the streets and looted businesses in Paris, Lyon, Marseille and other cities, a day after major violence erupted during nationwide protests against rising living costs and poor conditions in schools.

At least 2,400 people were arrested across the country.

“I submitted my resignation because I am responsible for everything that is happening,” Mr Nunez told France Inter radio.

“Now, the real issue is ensuring that this doesn’t happen again. We obviously need to be better at anticipating the kind of mobilisation that is unfolding.”

Mr Nunez blamed violence on “hordes of troublemakers and looters” and “far-left activists”, and acknowledged that police strategy needs to be adapted “in the face of extremely mobile groups”.

Authorities said groups of hundreds of people sought confrontations with police and targeted public buildings, including city halls and other public offices.

Mr Nunez acknowledged that authorities had “lost control” in some major cities on Saturday, with hundreds of businesses looted.

“You can’t look shopkeepers in the eye when hundreds of businesses have been looted and say: ‘We haven’t lost control in some of these major cities.’ Obviously,” the minister said.

Flames engulfed the 19th-century City Hall in Limoges, central France, causing its roof to collapse and nearly destroying the building.

In Marseille, the prefect banned any protest or other gathering from noon to 8pm Monday.