France Imposes Curfews on Minors After Vandalism at School Protests
Several French cities introduced or extended curfews on October 20 after a wave of violence and vandalism at school pupils' protests, European Pravda reported, citing BFMTV. The restrictions mostly apply to minors and only to certain districts.
City-by-city measures
- Marseille: a curfew for minors from October 20 to 23, from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. in designated districts and some municipalities of the Bouches-du-Rhône department.
- Bordeaux: restrictions for unaccompanied minors until October 26 in designated central shopping areas, where authorities say looting took place during the protests.
- Lyon: the curfew in the city centre was extended for the night from Tuesday to Wednesday, from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.
- Lille, Douai, Wattignies and Denain: unaccompanied minors are banned from the streets in designated areas from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.
- Nice: a curfew for minors in the city centre from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m., lasting until October 25.
- Coulaines, near Le Mans: children under 16 are banned from public places on their own from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m.
In Paris, where a general curfew was not reinstated, other restrictions were introduced. Around Place de la République and the Les Halles district, people are banned from the streets during the night of October 20 to 21, and undeclared gatherings were banned in a number of districts of the capital.
How the protests grew
In September, French pupils in a Paris suburb began boycotting classes, which grew into mass protests. Pupils complain about a shortage of teachers, overloaded timetables, overcrowded classes and neglected school buildings. In early October the local actions grew into a nationwide strike, with demonstrations covering more than a thousand schools and accompanied by violent clashes with police. Amid protests over rising prices and other social and economic problems, arson attacks, assaults on shopkeepers and mass looting began in Paris on October 17. On October 18, President Emmanuel Macron addressed citizens and accused the far left of backing violence. See more in our world section.