French PM ready for state of emergency if things get worse after violent weekend
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said Monday the government is prepared to declare a state of emergency if it has to, after protests over the weekend turned into serious violence, looting and damage in several cities.
After a crisis meeting, Lecornu said his “determination to restore order is total.” He made clear that if a full state of emergency is needed, “obviously we could do it.” For now, though, he thinks more limited steps make more sense.
He has asked prefects to put partial, localized curfews in place starting Monday night. These would mainly protect shops and certain key areas, not shut down entire cities. “It is out of the question to put all of Paris under curfew,” he said. A map of the zones is expected later today after talks with local mayors.
The unrest started with large demonstrations on Saturday over the cost of living and public services. Estimates put the number of people in the streets between roughly 550,000 and 800,000. Violence broke out in places including Paris, Lyon, Marseille and Limoges, where the town hall was set on fire. Nearly 2,400 people were arrested and almost 1,000 police officers and gendarmes were injured. Lecornu noted there were no deaths, calling it “a miracle.”
He blamed ultra-left groups and delinquents for trying to create “deep disorder” ahead of the presidential election. He also promised a big judicial response and help for hit businesses, including full state-paid partial unemployment starting Tuesday for about 3,000 affected shops.
On Sunday, President Macron condemned the “unbridled violence,” said the country felt anger and shame, and allowed prefects to ban certain gatherings if necessary. He also turned down Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez’s offer to resign so the chain of command stays in place.
Yellow Vest organizers have already called for more action next Saturday, and other groups are planning further protests. EU officials called the looting and arson “unacceptable” while stressing that the right to protest peacefully must still be protected.