French cities imposed a partial curfew in specific neighborhoods, following the violence and looting that accompanied the high-cost of living protests on October 17 and 18, according to the France Info website.
The measures included Paris, Lyon, Lille, Nice, and Bordeaux, and the mayor of Marseille announced the implementation of a similar measure as of Tuesday evening, while Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu confirmed the possibility of imposing additional restrictions when the situation warrants.
In Paris and Lyon, restrictions include all people within designated areas, regardless of their age. In Bordeaux, Lille, Nice and Marseille, it targets minors who are not accompanied by one of their guardians or legal representatives.
The areas in question include parts of city centers and commercial districts that were looted. In Paris, it affected the Place de la République, the Chatelet and Lisal area, while in Marseille it included exclusively commercial areas.
The curfew was set in Paris between 11 pm and 6 am, in Lyon and Nice between 9 pm and 6 am, in Lille between 8 pm and 6 am, and in Bordeaux between 10 pm and 7 am.
The decisions announced in Paris and Lyon were limited to the night of October 19 to 20, with the possibility of renewal. The ban in Lille will continue until the morning of October 21, and in Nice until the morning of October 26. In Bordeaux, it begins on Tuesday evening and continues until the morning of October 26, while the ban begins in Marseille on Tuesday, while the end date of the restrictions has not been determined.
The fine for violating the ban may reach 750 euros, and decisions can be appealed before the administrative judiciary.
The Italian government intends to send 500 additional soldiers to Milan, following violent riots in the city against the backdrop of protests against the high cost of living, while it is considering imposing a curfew in some areas and tightening security measures to prevent renewed confrontations.
The move, led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, comes after clashes spread to several Italian cities, resulting in the injury of police officers and protesters, in addition to looting and vandalism that prompted luxury stores to close their doors early.
The Italian news agency ANSA reported on Sunday that violent clashes broke out in Italy on the sidelines of demonstrations that began peacefully to protest the high costs of living, in a scene that brought to mind the unrest witnessed in France.
The confrontations were concentrated in the city of Milan, in the north of the country, where young men wearing black clothes and masks threw fireworks and bottles at the police in Piazza Duomo, known as the Cathedral Square, in the center of the city, and also set up barricades. At the beginning of the confrontations, the police were forced to withdraw and wait for reinforcements to arrive.
The clashes were not limited to Milan, as ANSA reported that there were other confrontations in Turin, Bologna and Bergamo, during which demonstrators used stones and fireworks against police forces.
In Milan alone, at least four policemen and 20 demonstrators were injured, while more than 50 young people were arrested, half of them minors, according to the report published by the Italian agency.
Violence escalated over the next two days, with reports of looting of stores and setting fire to property, which prompted the authorities to prepare for the possibility of renewed confrontations and tighten security measures in the city.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced the adoption of a strict approach in dealing with the riots that took place in Milan and other cities. Meloni condemned the violence in a post on social media platforms, saying: “Demonstrations are a right, and setting fire to our cities is not.”
As part of the government move, the authorities are preparing to impose stricter security measures with the aim of preventing the recurrence of violence, according to what was reported by the German News Agency, citing Italian media reports.
The Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera reported that the Meloni government intends to issue a new decree that gives the police broader powers to investigate minor protesters and prevent gatherings. The newspaper indicated that the decision was taken during a government meeting in Rome.
In an additional step to enhance security, the German News Agency reported that the Italian army intends to send 500 additional soldiers to Milan, following an emergency meeting held on Monday, headed by Meloni. A decree on this matter was scheduled to be issued within a short time after the decision was taken.
The military reinforcements aim to prevent further riots in central Milan, while the authorities are considering imposing a curfew in specific areas of city centres, as part of their efforts to reduce unrest.
Fears of renewed violence prompted a number of luxury stores and businesses in Milan to close their doors earlier than usual, Monday, for fear of being looted or vandalized.
According to Bloomberg, several stores on the famous Via Monte Napoleone, one of the most prominent luxury shopping streets in the city, closed their doors on Monday afternoon, in preparation for the possibility of new protests.
The stores that closed their doors early included brands such as “Giorgio Armani,” “Prada,” and “Miumi,” while the area seemed almost empty of passers-by.
This step came after the city witnessed a wave of violence during the previous two days, including looting and setting fire to property, which raised fears of companies and store owners that they would suffer more losses if the confrontations were renewed.
In parallel with the security preparations, more than 270 people were temporarily arrested in the context of the riots, most of whom were minors, according to what the German News Agency reported in its report on the measures that the Italian authorities intend to take, and five young men were also detained.
These numbers reflect the expansion of security measures that followed the confrontations, as the government seeks to prevent the recurrence of acts of looting and vandalism and to protect public and private property.
Simultaneously with the riots in Milan and other cities, Italy witnessed separate protest movements reflecting the widening scope of objections related to living conditions.
In the capital, Rome, trade unions organized a demonstration to protest against weak wages and high inflation, while the south of the country witnessed protests organized by truck drivers and farmers against high fuel prices.
These movements come at a time when pressures related to the cost of living are increasing, although the motives for the protests differ between demands related to wages and prices, and the acts of violence and looting that some cities witnessed.
According to the German Agency’s report, the inflation rate in Italy reached 4.2 percent, while many began to compare the riots taking place in the country with the unrest witnessed in France.
The Italian measures come in the context of comparisons with the wave of violence that accompanied protests against high prices in France. The German Agency report stated that French officials acknowledged failures among the law enforcement authorities, and pledged to implement stricter security measures and provide assistance to companies that were damaged after the protests turned into acts of violence, vandalism, and looting.
In Italy, the Meloni government seeks to prevent the recurrence of scenes of looting and clashes by strengthening the security presence and expanding police powers, in addition to studying imposing restrictions on gatherings and curfews in some areas.
While government measures continue to confront the riots, living pressures, poor wages, and high fuel prices emerge as issues present in the protests that the country has witnessed, amid efforts to separate the right to peaceful demonstration from attacks targeting people and property.
