By Zoila Palma: France’s Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has called for “very limited” and “localized” curfews following a weekend of widespread rioting that targeted city halls, public buildings and businesses across the country.
Speaking after an emergency meeting with senior government officials today, Lecornu defended the police response, saying that despite severe violence and extensive property damage, no one had been killed. He said details of the proposed curfews would be announced after consultations with mayors.
The unrest followed nationwide protests on Saturday against rising living costs and poor conditions in schools, AP reports.
On Sunday evening, groups set fire to trash bins, bicycles and other objects while looting businesses in Paris, Lyon, Marseille and other cities. Authorities reported that at least 2,400 people had been arrested and estimated on Monday that at least 3,000 businesses had been damaged or looted. In Marseille, officials banned protests and other gatherings from noon to 8 p.m. Monday as authorities worked to contain the unrest.
Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron rejected Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez’s resignation, which was offered on Sunday.
Macron said continued leadership of law enforcement was necessary under the current circumstances and instructed Nuñez to ensure transparency regarding failures in planning and intelligence-gathering.
The president also called for new policing tactics to be introduced as quickly as possible.
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