French authorities have imposed overnight curfews in parts of central Paris and other cities following a weekend of rioting and looting across the country. Police restricted movement between 23:00 and 06:00 in Place de la République and the Les Halles shopping area, with bans on unauthorised gatherings in several other central districts. Partial curfews were announced for Marseille, Bordeaux, Nice, Lyon, Lille and other towns.
The unrest began last month with student demands for better school conditions but escalated to encompass broader grievances including fuel prices, cost of living and deteriorating public services. About 550,000 demonstrators took to the streets over the weekend, joined by trade unions and various protest groups. Rioters set fires to cars and buildings and looted businesses in Paris, Marseille and smaller towns. In Limoges, a 19th-century city hall was gutted by fire set by rioters, with its clock tower and roof collapsing.
More than 2,500 people have been arrested. One demonstrator's hand was blown off by a police crowd-control grenade, according to the AFP news agency. About 1,000 police officers were injured. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez admitted police had "lost control" in some cities, though President Emmanuel Macron rejected his resignation offer.
More than 2,000 shops and businesses were directly impacted by the violence, with estimated damage at "hundreds of millions of euros", according to Alain Di Crescenzo, head of France's Chambers of Commerce and Industry. Jean-Luc Chauvin, president of the Marseille branch, told the BBC that shop owners were in "deep distress" and fear for their survival.
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said local mayors were given power to implement curfews where needed and did not rule out imposing a state of emergency. The government will set aside money to help affected areas recover, with costs recovered from those behind the violence. Lecornu announced a partial unemployment fund for those unable to work due to the riots. He also said 200 investigators would analyse CCTV footage to identify possible ringleaders.
Some politicians accused the left-wing La France Insoumise party of involvement, with Lecornu alleging some groups "want to create chaos in our country up until the presidential elections". Party leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon, who will stand in next year's election, called on Lecornu to prove his accusation or apologise. The US Embassy, China and Germany issued alerts advising citizens to avoid affected areas.