The prime minister has told regional authorities to impose partial curfews, after the interior minister admitted police had “lost control” in some areas. There is no evidence that Hamas is behind the disorder.
French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu has directed regional authorities to impose “partial curfews” in several major cities as the government tries to regain control of violent protests. The request followed an admission by Interior Minister Laurent Nunez that police had “lost control” of demonstrations in some areas. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has separately claimed that Hamas is now “on the streets” of Paris. French authorities have not said Hamas is involved, and they have mainly blamed extremist far-left groups, looters and others exploiting the demonstrations.
Curfews and restrictions
The Paris police prefecture confirmed a partial curfew around the Place de la Republique and the Les Halles district, which bans protests there overnight until 6am on Tuesday. The source gives the start time as 8pm. Later reporting gives 11pm for both Paris areas, and says 8pm applies only to some northern towns. The Paris measures reportedly target specific groups, including unaccompanied minors and people hiding their faces or wearing certain protective equipment. They are not a blanket stay-at-home order.
Restrictions elsewhere differ:
- Lille, Douai, Wattignies and Denain: curfews from 8pm to 6am for two nights
- Nice: restrictions on minors from 9pm to 6am
- Marseille: a ban on gatherings in certain areas from midday to 8pm on Monday
Mr Lecornu has refused to rule out declaring a state of emergency if the unrest worsens.
Political fallout
According to Reuters, Mr Nunez offered to resign after criticism of the police response, and President Emmanuel Macron rejected the offer on Monday. Mr Nunez accepted responsibility for shortcomings, and Mr Macron called for changes to police tactics and security planning. The government has acknowledged that officers were overwhelmed in places.
Reuters reports that about 2,400 people have been arrested across the country, with around 60,000 officers deployed. Reports also say about 1,000 police officers were injured and one protester died. The circumstances of that death have not been established, and it should not be assumed that police were responsible. The government estimated that about 550,000 people marched nationally on Saturday, and many of the marches were peaceful.
Mr Lecornu has promised a dedicated fund for businesses damaged in the violence, including emergency financial support and government-funded short-time working schemes. Commerce minister Serge Papin estimated that at least 3,000 businesses were affected, with particular concern for retailers that had bought Christmas stock. Officials are also working with online resale platforms to stop looted goods being sold, and are promising a firm criminal justice response.
Organisers linked to the Yellow Vests movement have called for another nationwide protest on Saturday 24 October, described as an “Act II”. The government is preparing extra police and gendarmerie deployments. A call for protests does not show that violence will recur. On Monday, the Louvre was unable to open normally after students from the Ecole du Louvre blocked its entrances in support of school pupils protesting over education funding, conditions and police conduct.
Netanyahu’s claim
In an interview with Israel’s Channel 14, Mr Netanyahu said France was “under threat” from terrorists on the ground. He said Mr Macron had called him on the day of the 7 October 2023 attacks to urge diplomacy. “I said, no, no, Emmanuel. It’s not going to be solved by diplomacy. These are monsters. Hamas is like Isis,” Mr Netanyahu said. “I said if we don’t stop Hamas here, you’ll see them on the streets of Paris and that’s exactly what is happening right now.”
He said he believed the situation would change France’s “political makeup” and could bring a right-wing government to power. “They understand that they’re under threat. Again, it’s the common enemy that creates common interests,” he said. His remarks follow Donald Trump’s recent endorsement of Mr Netanyahu ahead of the Israeli elections. Writing on Truth Social, the US president warned that migrants had “taken over” France.
French police and intelligence authorities have not announced that Hamas is organising or directing the disorder. Mr Netanyahu’s comments are a political and security assessment, not independently verified evidence.
