Minors face a 9pm curfew in several districts of Nice until Monday 26th October, following the weekend’s violence and looting. The measure comes as Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu orders targeted restrictions across France and protesters prepare for another mobilisation on Saturday.
Nice Mayor Éric Ciotti signed the municipal order in consultation with the Alpes-Maritimes prefect, introducing restrictions from 9pm to 6am in designated areas of the city centre, Vieux-Nice, Trachel and Gare du Sud. The curfew began on Monday 19th October and remains in place until 6am on Monday 26th October.
The decision follows Saturday’s protest in Nice, which descended into violence and looting. Shops were attacked, police vehicles damaged and officers injured. Prosecutors reported 85 people in police custody, including 40 minors.
“I am aware of the constraints. But this is an emergency situation, and we are responding with an exceptional measure,” Ciotti said in a statement issued by the city.
Lecornu orders localised curfews
The restrictions form part of a wider government response. Following a crisis meeting on Monday, Lecornu instructed regional authorities to introduce localised, partial curfews to prevent further rioting and looting. Measures were subsequently announced in parts of Paris and several other cities.
On Tuesday morning, the prime minister said the targeted restrictions had helped restore calm overnight and announced that further curfews would be introduced where necessary, with decisions taken by prefects in coordination with mayors.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez has also announced increased police and gendarme deployments ahead of the weekend, after acknowledging that officers had lost control in some cities during Saturday’s unrest.
Further protests called for Saturday
Calls for another mobilisation on Saturday 24th October are circulating nationally. Organisers behind the 17th October gilets jaunes campaign have announced an “Act II”, continuing their campaign over living costs and government policy. Student organisations have also called for renewed demonstrations, according to Le Monde.
These calls are separate from the next major trade union mobilisation on Thursday 5th November. In its statement on Monday, the CGT urged workers to continue mobilising peacefully and prepare for strikes and demonstrations on that date.
See also:
17 October protest in Nice: violence, looting and questions over how the city lost control
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Photo credit: Marc Lapolla.