France has imposed a new night-time curfew for unaccompanied minors in Paris, Nice and Marseille for the Halloween weekend, days after a Paris court suspended an earlier version of the measure.
The orders, issued on 30 October, run across three nights and coincide with planned protests on Saturday 31 October, when about 70,000 police officers and gendarmes are being deployed across France.
Related reading on Emadan: France to Deploy 70,000 Police for Halloween Protests.
What the new Paris order says
In Paris, the police prefecture’s new order bars under-18s who are not accompanied by a parent or legal guardian from defined public areas between 9pm and 6am on three nights: Friday 30 October to Saturday 31 October, Saturday 31 October to Sunday 1 November, and Sunday 1 November to Monday 2 November.
A teenager out with a parent or guardian is not affected. The streets covered are precisely defined in the order, which is published on the police prefecture website.
Why a new order was needed
The previous Paris order, which barred unaccompanied minors from going out between 9pm and 6am from Monday 26 October to Thursday 29 October, was suspended on Wednesday 28 October by the Paris Administrative Court.
Acting on an urgent application by the association Vigie Liberte, the judge found no specific evidence that minors faced any particular risks and said the measure seriously infringed freedom of movement.
The new order is limited to the weekend nights, when the prefecture fears further unrest, and could itself be challenged in court.
Nice, Marseille and the Paris protest bans
In Nice, unaccompanied minors may not be out in several areas from 10pm on Saturday to 6am on Sunday, according to Riviera Radio reporting.
Curfews for minors also apply in Marseille, Aubagne and Plan-de-Campagne on the same nights.
Separately, the Paris Police Prefecture has issued an order for the Place de la Republique and Les Halles area from 11pm to 6am from 31 October to 2 November.
For Saturday’s demonstration, the prefecture rejected the CGT trade union and Yellow Vest route through central Paris between Bastille and Nation, authorising instead a suburban march between Porte de Bagnolet and Porte de Charenton; trade unions have challenged that decision.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez has said demonstrations may go ahead but not in city centres, that evening gatherings will be banned, and that the day carries a very high risk of public disorder.
Background: how the protests grew
The protests began over run-down schools and have grown into a wider movement over the cost of living.
On 17 October they turned into some of the worst rioting France has seen in years, with looting in Paris, Lyon and Marseille.
The interior ministry counted about 410,000 protesters the following Saturday. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu then asked prefects to impose partial and localised curfews.
What this is not
These are not citywide lockdowns for adults: the Paris, Nice and Marseille orders reported here apply to unaccompanied minors in defined areas at night.
Adults are not covered by the minors curfews. Travellers should still check public transport before setting out, as metro stations have been closed during earlier protests.
What happens next
The Halloween-night protests and any court challenge to the new curfew order will show whether the narrower weekend measure holds.
Further national mobilisation and a parliamentary budget vote are expected in early November.
Frequently asked questions
Who does the Paris curfew apply to? Under-18s not accompanied by a parent or legal guardian, 9pm-6am, 30 Oct-2 Nov in defined areas.
Does it ban all protests? No: a suburban march route was authorised, while the central Paris route and evening gatherings were banned.
