Live: Curfews come into effect around France to combat looting

Live Issued on: 20/10/2026 - 04:51 People lit candles in front of the Lyon tourist office before a partial curfew in Lyon on October 19, 2026. © Olivier Chassignole, AFP Curfews came into effect in cities across France, including Paris, Bordeaux, Nice and Lyon, as French police attempted to crack down on looting during protests. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu has said that implementing a state of emergency is not out of the question. Follow our liveblog for the latest updates. Yesterday's key developments: • Mass protests against the rising cost of living and in support of high school students’ demands over education funding erupted in violent clashes, in which law enforcement officers and protesters were wounded, public buildings were set ablaze and businesses were looted. • French authorities issued a curfew for Place de la Republique ‌and the ‌streets around Les Halles in central Paris to take effect Monday night from 11pm until 6am on Tuesday. • Interior Minister Laurent Nunez admitted that police had "lost control" of the protests in several cities over the weekend, while the Yellow Vest movement called for a new round of protests on Saturday. (FRANCE 24 with Reuters, AP and AFP)