A couple in France has gone viral after footage showed them calmly drinking wine and smoking at an outdoor café while fires burned nearby during a wave of rioting, while a jogger appeared equally unfazed as she ran through a smoke-filled Paris street.
The man and woman, whose identities have been reported, sat chatting at a bistro table with flames burning just metres away near Paris’s iconic Arc de Triomphe.
In a separate video filmed in the French capital on Saturday, a woman jogged casually through a smoke-filled street as unrest unfolded around her.
Authorities made around 2,500 arrests across France over the weekend as violence and looting spread. In Paris alone, police arrested 855 people as violent groups clashed with officers and looted luxury shops.
France Introduces Localised Night-Time Curfews
The unrest prompted French authorities to introduce targeted curfews and restrictions on public gatherings in several cities. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu called on regional authorities to impose localised measures to prevent further violence and protect businesses, rather than introduce a nationwide curfew.
In Paris, police announced an overnight curfew from 11 pm on Monday, 19 October, until 6 am on Tuesday, covering Place de la République and the area around Les Halles. Authorities also prohibited demonstrations and gatherings in several parts of the capital from 8 pm until 6 am. The restrictions targeted areas affected by rioting and looting.
Other cities introduced their own measures. Authorities imposed night-time restrictions in parts of Lyon, while Nice introduced a curfew for minors in designated central areas. Lille and nearby towns also announced restrictions following the weekend’s unrest. Marseille separately prohibited public gatherings and demonstrations for a specified period on Monday.
The measures varied by location and did not amount to a blanket curfew across France. They came after demonstrators damaged public buildings and businesses, while police faced violent clashes and widespread looting.
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