Summary

Have you witnessed the protests?

  1. US advises travellers to avoid protest-hit areas in Francepublished at 21:21 BST

    The US Embassy in France has issued an alert advising its citizens to avoid areas affected by the recent demonstrations.

    The warning says to "exercise caution" if they find themselves close to large gatherings.

    Other advice includes checking curfew restrictions, flight schedules and allowing extra time for travel.

  2. 'I heard a loud bang, then the restaurant filled with tear gas'published at 20:38 BST

    Madeleine Lake
    Live reporter

    A young woman with a grey coat on and red tightsImage source, Anastasia Konova

    Anastasia heard a "loud bang" at a restaurant in the heart of Paris before the room filled with tear gas, she tells me.

    Her and her mother ran to the back of the restaurant to escape after staff closed metal shutters at the entrance to prevent gas coming in, but there was no way out.

    My mother thought she was going to die. We've never experienced anything like that, the 24-year-old said. "Within a few seconds your eyes water".

    Originally from the Netherlands, Anastasia has lived in Paris for a year now, and says she didn't know the area she lives in would become so "chaotic".

    Once she managed to escape through the shutters of the restaurant she says she saw a gas canister on the ground.

    "I was on my knees trying to spit it all out. It feels like you've eaten fire. I felt it in my eyes, I couldn't see anything, I was coughing."

    Anastasia worries about future protests and being without her mother, she says she feels "stressed" and will stay in districts further out with friends and colleagues if she needs to.

    "I saw in other cities they're burning buildings, I hope that doesn't happen here."

  3. Devastated owners survey smashed shops: The damage in Marseille is starkpublished at 20:21 BST

    Freya Scott-Turner
    in Marseille

    A person wearing a navy blue hoodie walks past a shop with boarded up windows and smashed glass. There are pieces of paper scattered on the wet floorImage source, Freya Scott-Turner

    We’ve been staying in the old port area of Marseille since Thursday - so found ourselves right in the thick of things this weekend.

    The damage from looting is really stark walking around today.

    There are still charred bins scattered around and shopfronts smashed - a couple of those have still opened their doors.

    Some big brands were left untouched, while a small optometrists up the road was completely wrecked.

    We saw the devastated-looking owners surveying the damage the next day.

    We also saw, late on Saturday, a group of men loaded up white sacks full of stuff onto these mopeds, brazenly in front of where we were eating dinner.

    A stack of chairs in front of a smashed shopfront in MarseilleImage source, Freya Scott-Turner
  4. Overnight curfew in Lyon follows ban on gatheringspublished at 20:05 BST

    A fire engine in front of Lyon's tourist office, which was set on fire - 19 October 2026Image source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    Lyon's tourism office was set on fire during unrest over the weekend

    Earlier we reported restrictions would be coming into place in Lyon, citing local media.

    We can now bring you the update from the Rhône prefecture, confirming that a partial curfew will begin at 21:00 local time (20:00 BST) on Monday and end at 06:00 on Tuesday 20 October.

    A ban on gatherings came into force earlier this evening - beginning at 18:00 local time (17:00 BST) and ended a few minutes ago at 21:00 local time (20:00 BST).

    The prefecture says the decision follows the prime minister's earlier remarks on partial curfews, and conversations with the mayor of Lyon and representatives of businesses, restaurants and hotels this afternoon.

  5. Analysis

    A day of reckoning in Francepublished at 19:56 BST

    Hugh Schofield
    Paris Correspondent

    A destroyed car near the Marianne statue at the Place de la Republique, with a yellow vest put on it, the day after clashes during a national day of demonstrations against the cost of living and rising fuel prices, in Paris, France, October 18, 2026Image source, Reuters

    By the Place de la République in central Paris, the street cleaners are still at it; scraping up bits of charred plastic from the road.

    Around the square there’s the sound of hammers and drills, as workmen patch up the smashed shopfronts.

    Today has been a day of reckoning: first, reckoning up the damage.

    Across the country some 3,000 stores were vandalised and/or looted on Saturday night. Many were in Marseille, including the clothing store belonging to Gerard Nouchi.

    There’s a reckoning at the policing level too. What went wrong? Why was there no accurate forecast of the coming violence?

    Why were police outnumbered and unable to intervene to protect property. And then there is the reckoning of politics.

    Masked protesters stand next to burning bicycles amid clashes during a demonstration against the cost of living and rising fuel prices near the Place de la Republique in Paris as part of nationwide protestsImage source, Reuters

    Today the government pointed the finger of blame once again at the far-left and its outspoken presidential candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon.

    He’s fomenting unrest ahead of the presidential election, said the prime minister.

    To which Mélenchon instantly retorted: show me the evidence. It’s you the government that created the mess.

    To the side sits Marine le Pen, candidate of the hard-right: who could be in line to benefit from an inevitable law-and-order backlash.

  6. Where have partial curfews been imposed?published at 19:48 BST

    Sébastien Lecornu seen alongside other ministers while giving a briefing.Image source, EPA/Shutterstock
    Image caption,

    Sébastien Lecornu said earlier on Monday he had given permission for local mayors to impose the partial curfews

    Several cities across France have imposed partial curfews after Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu gave some local mayors the power to do so.

    Here are the areas where a partial curfew will come into place this evening:

    Paris

    Police in Paris have said the movement of people in parts of the capital is banned from 23:00 local time (22:00 BST) on Monday until 06:00 (05:00 BST) on Tuesday.

    Local police say a ban on gatherings is also in place from 20:00 local time (19:00 BST) on Monday to 06:00 (05:00 BST) on Tuesday, preventing people from carrying weapons, fireworks or dangerous flammables.

    Nice

    Nice's mayor announced a curfew for young people from 21:00 local time (20:00 BST) to 06:00 (05:00 BST) each night until next Sunday, with the department's prefect also announcing a ban on certain items and equipment that could be used for public disturbances.

    Lyon

    A curfew is also in place in Lyon from 21:00 local time (20:00 BST) on Monday to 06:00 (05:00 BST) on Tuesday, local media reported citing the Rhône prefecture.

    Northern cities

    The local mayor of Coulaines in north-west France announced a curfew for young people, not allowing them to be out past 23:00 local time (22:00 BST).

    French media is reporting partial curfews in several northern French cities from 20:00-06:00 local time (19:00-05:00 BST) according to Lecornu's office, including Lille, Douai, Wattignies and Denain.

  7. Curfew announced for Lyon - French mediapublished at 19:20 BST
    Breaking

    The Rhône prefecture has announced a curfew for the south-eastern city of Lyon from 21:00 local time (20:00 BST) to 06:00 tomorrow (05:00 BST), according to France24 and BFM TV.

    The ban applies to demonstrations and processions in the city centre, reports Le Figaro.

  8. Paris police impose partial curfew and ban gatherings overnightpublished at 19:06 BST

    We can bring you more now on the restrictions in place in Paris overnight.

    In an update, the Préfecture de Police say that the movement of people is prohibited from 23:00 local time (22:00 BST) on 19 October until 06:00 local time (05:00 BST) on 20 October.

    This will be in place in the parts of the French capital, including the central median of the Place de la République, in central Paris, where protesters had gathered over the weekend.

    The local police also say a ban on gatherings is in place from 20:00 local time (19:00 BST) on 19 October to 06:00 (05:00 BST) on 20 October.

    Under the ban, people cannot carry any weapons, fireworks or dangerous flammables such as petrol, oil and gas.

  9. Mayor of Nice announces curfew for young people following disorderpublished at 18:43 BST
    Breaking

    Éric Ciotti wears glasses and is wearing a dark-coloured suitImage source, Reuters

    The mayor of Nice has announced that a curfew for young people will begin at 21:00 local time (20:00 BST) on Monday.

    Éric Ciotti says in a video posted on social media that the restriction will last until 06:00 (05:00 BST) and be in place nightly until next Sunday.

    He says the order has been issued in consultation with the prefect of Alpes-Maritimes, which says in a separate update that several objects such as fireworks and flammable substances had been banned.

    It adds personal protective equipment that could be used during public disturbances such as ski goggles have been banned, with measures remaining in place until 25 October.

  10. Overnight curfew issued for parts of central Parispublished at 18:38 BST
    Breaking

    A curfew has been imposed to landmark shopping areas in central Paris, according to public radio, BFM TV, and AFP.

    The restriction is set for the Place de la Republique and streets around Les Halles in Paris from 23:00 local time (22:00 BST) on Monday night until 06:00 local time (05:00 BST) on Tuesday.

    We'll bring you more on this and other curfews shortly.

  11. Frustration has hit boiling point, says artist who was tear gassed during protestspublished at 18:19 BST

    Sophie Calvert
    BBC Newsbeat

    A woman wearing a white face mask and sunglasses makes a "peace sign" with her hands as she stands in a crowd of protestors in France.Image source, Handout
    Image caption,

    Isa Obradovich has been sharing her experiences on social media

    US artist Isa Obradovich, who is currently living in Paris, has been documenting the protests on social media over the past few weeks.

    The 22-year-old content creator tells BBC Newsbeat that it feels like frustration with the French government has "reached a boiling point".

    She says the protests she has been at with thousands of people have been "overwhelmingly positive and joyful", but things were more tense this weekend.

    "I was tear gassed four times and walked through even more clouds of tear gas at the protests," she recalls.

    "And I was just there taking pictures and trying to keep my distance and stay within what I know are my limits because I'm disabled."

    Obradovich, who is also a French citizen, says it is "really unfortunate" that some businesses have been damaged and looted, but she believes it’s a "small minority" that have taken advantage of the unrest.

    "There have been efforts by the community [to come] together to do fundraiser campaigns to help small businesses rebuild," she says.

    "It's not that young people want to go out and smash and break things out of anger, it's that we genuinely want to construct a better future for all of us, that works for all of us."

  12. PSG-Barcelona football match to go ahead despite unrest - interior ministerpublished at 18:00 BST

    France's Interior Minister Laurent Nunez looks on as he leaves an Interministerial Crisis Meeting at the Interior Ministry in Paris, France, October 19,Image source, Reuters

    The Champions League fixture between Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona will go ahead as planned on Tuesday despite this week's protests, according to the French interior minister.

    Speaking after an emergency meeting with top government officials, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez says the possibility of calling off planned events was discussed, including football matches, AP news agency reports.

    "But this does not apply to tomorrow’s match between PSG and FC Barcelona," he says.

    Nuñez adds that other matches planned in European competitions this week would not be affected.

    Speaking earlier, he said police "lost control" of protests in some cities over the weekend.

  13. Partial curfew issued for some northern cities - French mediapublished at 17:42 BST
    Breaking

    Authorities have issued a partial curfew in several northern French cities from 20:00-06:00 local time (19:00-05:00 BST), AFP and France24 report, citing the office of Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu.

    The curfew covers the cities of Lille, Douai, Wattignies and Denain in northern France, reports say.

  14. France looks inward after turbulent weekend: A recappublished at 17:27 BST

    Wedaeli Chibelushi
    Live reporter

    A man walks past a row of burnt out vehicles on Rue Yves Toudic destroyed after a nationwide protest.Image source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Burnt out cars line this street in Paris after a weekend of violent protests

    After a weekend of some of the most widespread disorder in modern French history, the country is now taking stock of the damage, asking who is to blame, and wondering what comes next.

    Stay with us as we continue to bring you more updates.

  15. Curfew imposed for young people in French town Coulainespublished at 16:46 BST

    In Coulaines, north-west France, the local mayor has issued a curfew for the town's young people.

    Minors in the town are not allowed to be out past 23:00 local time (22:00 BST), the town's mayor Christophe Roullion wrote in a post on Facebook.

    His remarks follow Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu's calls for localised curfews as he gave regional mayors more powers to impose them in affected parts of the country.

    It's unclear what these curfews will look like, as each local authority can impose its own rules. Our Paris correspondent writes that curfews could mean areas like Place de la République in the capital are off-limits during specific times.

    It's up to each mayor to say how things will look in their towns as Lecornu stopped short of calling a state of emergency.

  16. BBC Verify

    An exceptional period of protests, even by France's standards, researchers saypublished at 16:38 BST

    By Daniel Wainwright

    France is experiencing an “exceptional” period of protests, according to data from the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data project (Acled).

    The independent organisation collects and analyses information on political violence and demonstrations around the world.

    Acled says it has recorded almost 66 demonstrations a day in France during the current wave of unrest, more than three times the average of just over 20 per day in periods of unrest during the past five years. Its data goes up to last Friday, 16 October.

    Almost a quarter of recorded events have been classified by Acled as riots, compared with an average of less than 2% in previous protest waves. Acled said only the unrest following the 2023 shooting of Nahel Merzouk by French police in Nanterre recorded a higher proportion of riots.

    It has also recorded more than 400 events involving arrests, compared with 138 during the 2023 French pension reform protests, however demonstrations in smaller towns have remained "largely peaceful".

    Acled chief executive Prof Clionadh Raleigh, from the University of Sussex, said: "France has always been a country where people take to the streets.

    "But the frequency, duration and level of confrontation we're recording now make this exceptional, even by its own standards."

    BBC Verify has previously used Acled data to help track conflicts, including strikes carried out by the US, Israel, Iran and Iran-backed groups in the Middle East.

  17. China and Germany warn citizens visiting France to exercise cautionpublished at 16:21 BST

    Beijing has warned its citizens visiting France to take safety precautions.

    According to Chinese media reports, the country's foreign ministry has asked those visiting to closely monitor the local situation, strengthen their safety precautions and avoid "demonstration areas" where protests and riots are taking place.

    A car is set ablaze during demonstrations on October 17, 2026 in Paris, France.Image source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    More than half a million people joined protests across France on Saturday with some turning violent and more than 2,500 people being arrested

    Germany's foreign ministry updated its travel advice, urging its citizens to "exercise caution and avoid demonstrations wherever possible".

    Voicing concern over demonstrations, the ministry said "violence has no place on the streets of our democracies".

  18. Vendors found selling goods stolen during riots will be prosecuted, ministers warnpublished at 15:54 BST

    Police officers detain a person at a ransacked Franprix store as clashes erupted at Place de la Republique.Image source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Police officers detain a person at a shop in Paris which was looted during riots on Sunday

    Goods looted during protests over the weekend have been listed on certain selling platforms, two French government ministers have said.

    The joint statement from Anna Le Hénanff and Serge Papin calls for the platforms to remove the listings and says the resellers will be prosecuted.

    It says the ministers met with the platforms today alongside representatives from France's interior and justice ministries.

    A Vinted spokesperson says the sale or solicitation of stolen goods is "strictly prohibited" and the platform has zero tolerance for it, with accounts found breaching rules having the potential to be permanently banned.

    "Since this weekend, our teams have taken immediate action to identify and remove listings linked to the looting, and we have stepped up monitoring of suspicious listings," it says.

    The platforms says it is actively collaborating with law enforcement and French authorities, adding it is continually adapting its processes "to detect and counter emerging risks and malicious behaviour".

  19. Riots will not end until France's political crisis is solved, says Paris mayorpublished at 15:33 BST

    Emmanuel Grégoire wears a sash over a dark suit while speaking into several microphones among a crowd of people.Image source, Reuters

    The mayor of Paris has called on Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu to begin negotiations with organisations representing the education sector to pave the way for a resolution to the country's riots.

    Speaking to journalists in front of the capital's city hall a little earlier, Emmanuel Grégoire says a more specific platform of demands needs to be worked on to lay the groundwork for ending the unrest.

    He says the riots affecting the country will not be resolved until there is a response to France's current political crisis.

    Our Paris correspondent Hugh Schofield has described how rioters in France are exploiting the country's political situation.

  20. Marseille shop owners in distress as city tries to recover after violent weekendpublished at 15:20 BST

    Nick Beake
    Europe correspondent, in Marseille

    A person walking down a road lined with police vehicles in Marseille.

    We’ve just got to Marseille - France’s second biggest city by population - which saw considerable violence at the weekend.

    We have arrived in the middle of an emergency ban on people gathering in public, which kicked in at midday and is due to lapse at 20:00 local time (19:00 BST).

    Here in the city centre, in driving rain, the clean up is continuing after the chaos of Saturday.

    More than 600 shops were looted in that frenzy, according to business leaders.

    The regional Chambre de Commerce et d'Industrie (CCI) says this is at least twice the number compared with the last time there were riots in the city, three years ago.

    Jean-Luc Chauvin, the president of the Marseille-Province branch of the organisation, says the damage to buildings as well as the destruction and theft of stock has come at what should be the busiest time of the year when businesses make 30% of their turnover in the lead up to Christmas.

    He says many shop owners are now in "deep distress" and fear for their survival.