Paris imposes curfew after weekend riots over living costs and school conditions

Paris police imposed an overnight curfew Monday in two areas of the capital to prevent further violence after a weekend of France's worst rioting in years, which damaged or looted about 3,000 businesses and public buildings nationwide. The curfew covers the Place de la République and the Les Halles shopping district, effective from 11 p.m. Monday to 6 a.m. Tuesday, with gatherings banned from 8 p.m. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu called for "localized" curfews, while northern cities like Lille and Nice imposed overnight restrictions for minors. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez offered his resignation, but President Emmanuel Macron refused it, demanding transparency on intelligence failures and new policing tactics. The unrest followed nationwide protests Saturday against rising living costs and poor school conditions, with at least 2,400 arrests. Nuñez acknowledged authorities "lost control" in some cities, and the violence recalled the 2023 riots after a police shooting and the yellow vest movement. Far-right leader Jordan Bardella criticized the government's failure, as Marine Le Pen leads polls for next spring's presidential election.