PARIS — After episodes of violence, looting and vandalism recorded during weekend protests in France, Paris will impose nighttime restrictions on this Monday (19).
A decree by the police of the French capital prohibits, from 8 p.m. this Monday to 6 a.m. Tuesday (20), local time, the presence and movement of people who participate in demonstrations, processions and unpermitted gatherings within defined perimeters.
Among the areas covered are the Champs-Élysées Avenue and the Arc de Triomphe area, as well as central zones that include the surroundings of Notre-Dame Cathedral.
The map released by the police also marks out areas near Place de la République, the Châtelet-Les Halles complex, Place de la Bourse and Place de la Bastille, as well as regions around major railway stations.
The restriction on demonstrations does not mean that all residents and tourists are prohibited from moving around these places at night. The 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. order refers specifically to participation in demonstrations and gatherings not declared.
Meanwhile, the curfew that blocks entry or the stay of any person applies from 11 p.m. this Monday to 6 a.m. Tuesday, at Place de la République and in the Les Halles commercial area.
The measures were adopted after two days of clashes and vandalism in Paris. According to the police decree, Saturday’s episodes (the 17th) resulted in 855 arrests, 297 injuries among security forces and 111 people injured among residents and demonstrators, all within the capital alone. On Sunday (the 18th), another 351 arrests were recorded, 17 police officers injured and 36 commercial establishments damaged, of which 33 were looted.
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Protest Shut Down the Louvre
Also on Monday, a demonstration by students and unionists led to the closure of the Louvre Museum. Groups occupied all entrances and prevented tourists from accessing the building, which ended up suspending operations for the entire day.
There were moments of tension when a group broke through the barrier and managed to access the glass pyramid entrance, on the museum’s main esplanade.
The demonstrators handed out leaflets in several languages addressed to foreign visitors, thanking them for their interest in French culture and apologizing for the disruption.
