By Zoila Palma: French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has indicated that localized overnight curfews helped restore calm following intense nationwide protests that have resulted in thousands of arrests and violent clashes between demonstrators and police.
Curfews took effect Monday night in major cities, including Paris, Bordeaux, Nice and Lyon, as authorities sought to curb rioting and looting, ABC reports.
The unrest escalated over the weekend, with demonstrators targeting businesses and government buildings while accusing police of excessive force.
The protests began in September as a student-led movement calling for education reforms but have since expanded into a broader campaign demanding government action on the rising cost of living. Lecornu said targeted curfews had contributed to a calmer night and indicated that additional restrictions could be imposed where necessary, in coordination with local authorities.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez reported that 2,513 people had been taken into custody, with 67 imprisoned, while dozens of judicial investigations remain ongoing.
Approximately 60,000 police officers and security personnel were deployed nationwide, although authorities struggled to contain unrest in cities such as Paris, Marseille and Lyon.
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