France announces curfew in Paris and ban on protests
France imposed a partial curfew and banned demonstrations in parts of Paris on Monday, police said, as the government sought to restore order after some of the worst street violence in years.
The Paris police préfecture announced the partial curfew on Monday evening. Demonstrations were also banned in several Paris neighbourhoods from 8pm on Monday until 6am on Tuesday.
The curfew will be in place from 11pm on Monday to 6am on Tuesday. It has, however, multiple exceptions.
Areas – this is not a city-wide measure, only some parts of Paris are affected. The measures are centred around the Place de la République and Les Halles, both of which saw trouble flare on both Saturday and Sunday.
The streets affected are: Esplanade de la République and Place de la République as well as the streets surrounding Les Halles: Place Maurice Quentin, Rue Berger de la place Maurice Quentin (up to the junction with Boulevard Sébastopol) Passage des Lingères, Boulevard Sébastopol from the corner of Rue Berger to Rue Rambuteau, and Rue Rambuteau between the junction with Boulevard Sébastopol Allée André Breton.
It affects anyone entering those areas, whether by vehicle, bike or on foot.
Exceptions – anyone who lives, works or has to enter for work-related reasons those areas will be allowed to pass.
The category for residents includes temporary residents such as tourists who have a hotel or Airbnb in the area – although they will need to provide proof of where they are staying such as a booking confirmation.
Full-time residents can show proof of their address, while workers can show proof of where they are employed.
Emergency service workers are not affected, nor are business owners or shopkeepers.
The Paris police order clarifies: “Residents who can prove, by any means, that their home is located within the aforementioned areas, workers who are obliged to travel to these areas to carry out their work, members of the emergency services and shopkeepers are not affected.”
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Demo ban – the ban on demonstrations or any kind of political gatherings is more widespread.
As well as the areas covered by te curfew, it also affects the areas around the Élysée Palace, the Ministry of the Interior, the Champs-Élysées; the Assemblée nationale (French parliament); the Senate; Matignon, the Paris Law Courts, the Paris Police Headquarters and the areas around Place d’Italie, Place de la Bastille and the Bourse.
Gatherings are also banned in the vicinity of all railway stations: Montparnasse, Austerlitz, Gare de Lyon, Gare de l’Est, Gare du Nord and Gare Saint-Lazare.
It is in place from 8pm on Monday to 6am on Tuesday.
The curfew and demo ban affect only Paris, not the city’s suburbs
There is expected to be a heavy police presence in the capital as the government attemps to restore order following widespread violence and looting on Saturday night, followed by sporadic clashes on Sunday evening.
