“We have nothing to hide,” Lecornu said at the start of the press conference.
During his remarks, the French prime minister repeatedly blamed the left for the unrest, while attributing the subsequent violence to what he described as “criminal elements.” He specifically highlighted the situation in Marseille, where, according to him, there had been problems involving the far left.
Authorities in Marseille have banned public gatherings from noon until 8 p.m. local time.
Lecornu announced that those arrested would face prosecution and said he expected convictions. He also announced a wide-ranging investigation aimed at identifying individuals who have so far evaded justice.
Partial curfew under consideration
The French prime minister said he had asked regional prefects, representatives of the central government, to consider introducing a partial curfew.
“The prefects will discuss the matter with mayors and their local business and industrial associations,” Lecornu said.
He warned of the seriousness of the situation, noting that the fact that no one had been killed during this weekend’s violence was almost unbelievable.
“No one has died, and I have to say that it is a miracle. We cannot allow people to teach others how to cause unrest,” the French prime minister said.
Following a meeting of the crisis management team, Lecornu also pledged to reinforce police forces throughout the week.
Call for young people to protest lawfully
Speaking about the role of young people in the protests, Lecornu said that the authorities must find a way for youth discontent to be expressed through legitimate and lawful forms of protest.
According to him, many of those who took part in Saturday’s demonstrations were under the age of 18. They may disagree with government policies, he said, but must be given the opportunity to express their views in an acceptable manner.
“We cannot allow people to teach you how to cause unrest. Many of those who protested on Saturday were young people under the age of 18. They may disagree with the government, but we must provide them with a framework to express their views legitimately,” Lecornu said.
The prime minister also confirmed that the government had considered postponing football matches due to the security situation but ultimately decided against the measure.
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