France says curfews helped calm overnight unrest as Italy sends troops to Milan

French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said on 20 October 2026 that targeted curfews in parts of Paris and other major cities "have contributed to calm overnight". He suggested that more curfews could be introduced if needed that day. The Guardian

The Paris order covered Place de la République and the streets around Les Halles in central Paris for Monday night, 19 October. It applied initially only for the night from Monday to Tuesday, 19-20 October, while curfews in Bordeaux and Nice were set to remain in force for several days. France 24

During the first night under the order, a police helicopter flew over Place de la République, sweeping a searchlight across the square. In Lille, Douai and Wattignies, authorities set a curfew for minors from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. for two days. Reuters

A 40-year-old man was arrested on Tuesday 20 October on suspicion of involvement in the arson attack that ravaged Limoges town hall over the weekend. He was reported to be a far-left activist with a prior record that placed him on the security services' watchlist. The Guardian

The town hall was set on fire and destroyed after a group of individuals forced entry during protest action against the high cost of living. The attack took place during violence at the end of the demonstration on Saturday 17 October. On the Sunday morning after the protests, about a hundred residents came to see the still-smoking rubble. As reported on 19 October, there were custody cases for looting in Limoges but no arrests yet for the town hall fire. Le Figaro

A deliberate fire was set in a corridor of Lycée Aristide Briand in Saint-Nazaire on Friday 16 October. In Italy, the government decided to dispatch 500 army troops to Milan after two days of unrest in the city. Shops in Milan city centre were affected by riots and looting during the two days of unrest reported on 20 October. The Guardian