France deploys troops, enforces curfews, to deter rioting
French troops will be deployed to reinforce police as part of a “massive” security operation before more protests on Saturday, officials say.
Soldiers from Sentinelle, the anti-terrorism operation that has patrolled French cities since the 2015 Islamic State group attacks, will take over guarding sensitive sites to free up more police officers and gendarmes for crowd control, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez told legislators on Tuesday.
French soldiers like these have patrolled cities, including Paris, since the 2015 terrorism attacks. Kamil Zihnioglu)
Student unions and groups from the “yellow vest” movement, whose protests over fuel prices shook France in 2018 and 2019, have called for another day of protests on Saturday.
Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu told France’s National Assembly the government was planning a major security operation to keep the peace.
“The deployment (of police forces) for next Saturday will be massive,” he said.
Nightly curfews enforced
Paris police said the curfew in two designated zones – around Place de la République and the Les Halles shopping district – had restored “public peace” on Monday night and would remain in place “for as long as necessary”.
People watch a burned-out car in central Paris after a quiet night on Monday under a curfew. Christophe Ena
In Lyon, one of France’s largest cities, authorities also renewed a curfew in the city center from 9pm to 6am, saying no disturbances had been recorded.
Marseille, France’s second-largest city, imposed a curfew for unaccompanied minors starting Tuesday night.
Suspect held over city hall fire
Police on Tuesday arrested a suspect in the arson attack that charred the historic city hall in Limoges, in central France, with authorities saying he probably did not act alone.
Footage of the 143-year-old building in flames, its bell tower collapsing, spread widely online over the weekend. US Vice President JD Vance shared it on X, blaming the unrest on immigration and writing, “I pray that France, a beautiful country of amazing people, will stop this madness before more of its landmarks burn.“
A fire destroys the city hall in Limoges, central France. Pascal Lachenaud/AFP/Getty Images via CNN
US President Donald Trump, who also relayed the video, said migrants had “taken over France.”
French officials have instead blamed the violence on far-left groups and opportunistic looters. At least 2400 people were arrested after rioters in cities across France last Saturday clashed with police, set cars on fire and stormed public buildings, during nationwide protests against rising living costs and poor conditions in schools.
Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin said 149 people had been jailed nationwide as of Tuesday at noon.
According to the Justice Ministry, of the roughly 2400 people arrested since Saturday, more than 800 have been sent before prosecutors, most of whom were either put on trial immediately or ordered to appear at a later hearing.
- With The Associated Press
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