Paris, Oct 20 (IANS) France will impose new curfews in areas where the “situation requires it”, French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said on Tuesday, adding that the curfews imposed in several cities the previous day had contributed to keeping the situation calm. He also thanked police personnel, Gendarmes and prefects for their mobilisation.
“Targeted curfews have contributed to the calm of this night. I thank the police officers and gendarmes who ensured their enforcement, as well as the prefects for their mobilisation. Tonight, new curfews will be decided where the situation requires it. These decisions will be made on the ground, by the prefects, in coordination with the mayors,” Lecornu posted on X.
The curfew imposed in parts of Paris remained in effect from 11 pm (local time) on Monday to 6 am (local time) on Tuesday. The curfew was imposed in two areas where looting occurred during the weekend – the Republique square in the centre-east of Paris, and the Chatelet-les-Halles zone. The authorities had imposed a ban on gatherings in these two zones from 8 pm (local time) on Monday, France 24 reported.
French authorities imposed a curfew in the central zone of Lyon, where a tourist office was torched during the protests on Saturday. In addition, a ban was imposed on public gatherings in parts of Lyon from 6 pm (local time) on Monday.
A curfew was imposed in France’s Nice from 9 pm (local time) on Monday to 6 am (local time) on Tuesday. However, the curfew in Nice was applicable only to unaccompanied minors, France 24 reported.
Curfews were imposed for unaccompanied minors in Lille and the towns of Douai, Wattignies and Denain from 8 pm (local time) on Monday to 6 am (local time) on Tuesday. The measures were applicable only in certain regions.
On Sunday, French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said that more than 2,000 people were arrested during violent protests across France on Saturday.
Violent clashes erupted between police and protesters in Paris and other parts of France on Saturday on the sidelines of the nationwide marches against rising inflation, with protesters setting fire to many places and looters breaking into dozens of shops to strip them bare.
–IANS
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