Paris: France has imposed night-time restrictions in parts of Paris and several northern cities after protests over the rising cost of living turned violent over the weekend, AFP reported.
The government announced the measures on Monday as demonstrators blocked the entrance to the Louvre museum in Paris. Officials are trying to control public anger after some of the worst street violence France has seen in recent years.
Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu did not rule out imposing a state of emergency. His comments came after Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said police had “lost control” during the unrest.
The protests have come six months before France elects a new president to replace Emmanuel Macron.
Partial curfews will be in force from 8:00 pm to 6:00 am (1800–0400 GMT) on Monday and Tuesday in four northern cities, including Lille. The restrictions are meant to protect shops and businesses.
“I’m absolutely determined to restore public order”, Lecornu said.
In Paris, authorities announced a partial ban on protests from 9:00 pm GMT on Monday.
Similar protests over rising prices have also taken place in other European countries. There were clashes in Milan and Belgium over the weekend, while protests continued in Spain and Portugal.
Why People Are Angry
About half a million people joined protests across France on Saturday against the rising cost of living. The demonstrations had continued for four weeks and began with students demanding better conditions in high schools.
Many protests started peacefully. But in some places, masked groups attacked police, entered town halls and other public buildings, and set them on fire. Shops were looted, and cars, bicycles and scooters were set on fire.
More than 2,500 people were arrested. Nearly 1,000 police and security personnel were injured. Some protesters were also hurt. One demonstrator lost a hand after a police crowd-control grenade exploded.
Action Against Looters
On Monday, Digital Minister Anne Le Henanff asked online resale websites to remove listings for “stolen items” after Saturday’s looting. She called representatives of companies including Vinted and eBay for talks.
The commerce ministry said representatives of Amazon, Leboncoin, Meta and TikTok were also invited.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez offered to resign on Monday after the violence. However, President Macron refused to accept his resignation.
Macron said the government had made mistakes, even though about 60,000 police and security personnel were deployed on Saturday.
Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin said more than 2,330 people were taken into police custody across France over the weekend. He said 70 per cent of them were adults.
Small Businesses Minister Serge Papin said at least 3,000 shops were affected. The damage is expected to run into hundreds of millions of euros.
In a speech to the nation on Sunday, Macron condemned the “unbridled” violence.
In Marseille, officials banned public gatherings from noon to 8:00 pm (1000–1800 GMT).
The European Union called the violence “unacceptable” but said the right to peaceful protest “must be protected” in France.
Germany condemned the violence and updated its travel advice for France. It warned that more demonstrations and violence were possible in the coming days.
China also warned its citizens travelling to France to stay alert and take safety precautions, state broadcaster CCTV reported.
Protesters Block Louvre
In Paris on Monday, about a dozen protesters blocked the entrance to the Louvre, the world’s most visited museum. Tourists watched from behind barricades near the museum’s famous glass pyramid.
“We don’t want to get involved. We want to stand back and get away from them,” said Pat Boland, a 73-year-old tourist from Australia.
The Louvre was closed because of the protest.
Rising prices have made many people angry. Diesel prices in France have risen by nearly 40 per cent and petrol by 25 per cent since March. Food prices have gone up by 25 per cent in the past five years.
Elections Ahead
The unrest has come ahead of presidential elections in April and May. The vote will decide who replaces Macron after 10 years in power.
Far-right leader Marine Le Pen is doing well in opinion polls.
The government has accused ultra-left groups of encouraging the violence to help far-left leader Jean-Luc Melenchon in the elections.
Protests Across Europe
In Italy, clashes broke out during a cost-of-living protest in Milan.
“I’m very worried because it’s a new phenomenon, which also originates from an international scenario and therefore feeds itself,” Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala said.
In Belgium, police used tear gas and water cannon to disperse protesters in Brussels and Liege.
In Spain, protesters have set up tents in central Madrid to protest against high housing costs. Similar protest camps have come up in Lisbon and Porto in Portugal.
