Authorities are said to have imposed curfews in four areas of Paris in a bid to curb the violence.
An overnight curfew will be in place from 11pm to 6am covering Place de la Republique and Les Halles,with both adults and minors prohibited from the areas.
Meanwhile,protesters in Paris have blocked off the entrance to the Louvre museum and art gallery as violent demonstrations threaten to spill over into this week.
你错了，这是正确的时间。因为卢浮宫和圣母院总是立在那，什么时候都能去。这种体验纯正法国大革命和巴黎公社的机会可不多了。
— 绿绿绿 (@UkCAvigxzpnid3X) October 19,2026
Riots on October 17,sparked by anger over the cost of living and lack of opportunities for high school students,led to hundreds of arrests across France.
This morning,President Emmanuel Macron said he had refused the resignation of his interior minister Laurent Nuñez,who has come under intense pressure.
In a statement,the Elysée Palace said the decision not to accept was due to ‘the necessity for continued leadership of law enforcement at this time’.
Macron addressed the nation in a televised speech yesterday evening,in which he said the French people ‘all feel anger and shame’ at the scenes of violence.
He said: ‘Looking at these images,we all asked ourselves: What is going through their minds? How can French people do this to France?’
The riots come less than six months before a major presidential election in which Macron cannot stand,as he will have reached his term limit.
A group of protesters blocking access to the famous Louvre pyramid (Picture: Reuters)
The burning city hall in Limoges (Picture: Pascal Lachenaud/AFP via Getty Images)
Far-right populist Marine Le Pen holds a lead of around 20 percentage points over her closest rival,far-left challenger Jean-Luc Mélenchon,according to the latest polling.
Images from Paris show a small crowd of people standing in front of the entrance to the Louvre,one of France’s biggest tourist attractions.
They are holding banners,including one that says ‘French public services are falling apart’ in English.
According to the BBC,the group has distributed flyers saying they are ‘proud’ to be ‘blocking the biggest museum in the world’ and criticising the ‘violent police repression’ of the protests.
The museum confirmed in a post on X that it is closed today due to the strikes.
🇫🇷 Chers visiteurs,en raison d’un mouvement social étudiant,le musée est fermé pour le moment. Nous vous prions de nous excuser de la gêne occasionnée.
🌍Dear visitors,due to student strikes the museum is currently closed. We apologise for the inconvenience. pic.twitter.com/tNKFk3B9aj
— Musée du Louvre (@MuseeLouvre) October 19,2026
The so-called yellow vest movement (gilets jaunes) have reportedly called for a new round of protests this Saturday and the week after.
Benjamin Ball,who edits the group’s website,told AFP: ‘There is clearly a huge push for there to be an Act II.’
So far,the protests have resulted in more than 2,400 arrests and widespread damage to shops and public buildings.
In the city of Limoges,the 19th-century City Hall was set alight leading to the collapse of its tower and roof.
Writing on X,Nuñez said: ‘The right to protest is a fundamental right. Deliberately and collectively sowing disorder through violence is not.’
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