Lecornu opens the way for local curfews after weekend riots and around 2,400 arrests

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In brief

How it came to this

19 OctMarseille bans demonstrations and public gatherings until 20:00
20 OctParis Saint-Germain and Barcelona football match, which the government says will not be postponed
24 OctYellow vest groups call a second day of protests

Weekend riots across France

Demonstrations on Saturday, 17 October, over the cost of living and conditions in public education turned violent in several French cities. BBC reporting put the crowd at more than half a million people, mostly peaceful, but groups in black clothing and masks vandalised shops and public buildings. The BBC estimated that around 1,500 shops and businesses were looted or destroyed, and the Interior Ministry said about 1,000 police officers were injured, seven of them seriously. In Limoges a fire destroyed much of the town hall, and incidents were also reported in Paris, Lyon and Marseille. Reports put more than 2,000 businesses as seriously damaged, with costs in the hundreds of millions of euros, and luxury boutiques of Dior, Burberry and Louis Vuitton were among the targets.

Arrests and custody

Paris prosecutors said 855 people were arrested on Saturday in connection with the demonstrations, and 557 of them were placed in custody, 433 of whom were adults. On Sunday a further 208 people were arrested, 145 of them placed in custody. Custody was extended for 278 people, mainly over thefts and looting on the Champs-Élysées, at Châtelet, at Gare Saint-Lazare and on Place de la République. Associated Press counted at least 2,400 arrests across the country over the weekend.

Paris prosecutor: arrests and custody, 17 and 18 October 2026people

Data from the article text

Government response

On Monday, 19 October, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced that prefectures and municipalities may impose partial curfews where they judge public order or local businesses to be at risk. He said the measures would be local rather than nationwide, with a map of the affected areas due that afternoon after talks with mayors. A state of emergency is not under consideration for now, he said, though it could be declared if deemed useful. The BBC reported that Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez tried to resign on Monday morning, but President Emmanuel Macron asked him to stay and consider ways to strengthen street security. In a televised address on Sunday evening, Macron called for unity, blamed revolutionary elements from radical far-left groups, and promised that those responsible would be held accountable.

Far left and the 2027 vote

Lecornu accused the far left of pursuing a destabilisation campaign before the presidential vote, saying a network of groups could be mobilised to challenge the election timetable. The government links the escalation to La France Insoumise, the party led by Jean-Luc Mélenchon. Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin told France 2 TV that security services deal well with threats from terrorists and criminal groups but not as well with those from far-left protesters. NewsIT reported that the latest polls keep far-right Marine Le Pen in first place, while Mélenchon gains ground.

What comes next

The yellow vest movement has called for a second day of protests on Saturday, 24 October, and published a map of planned demonstrations on its website. Benjamin Ball, who runs the site, told AFP there was clearly strong momentum for a second mobilisation. Students and pupils, protesting teacher shortages and poor school conditions, have coordinated with the yellow vests and blocked schools for weeks. Lecornu said the Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona football match due on 20 October would not be postponed.