French Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin announced today, Thursday, that 217 people have been imprisoned among 2,700 individuals placed in provisional detention in connection with the "acts of violence and looting" that France witnessed during protests against the cost of living.
The French news agency "AFP" quoted Darmanin stating that this measure represents "an extremely firm response like no other," indicating that half of those imprisoned have no prior criminal records.
Radio "France Internationale" reported that the French authorities announced a number of measures in response to the widespread protests occurring in the country, including the imposition of a curfew starting Monday, October 19, in certain areas of Paris, particularly around Place de la République and the "Les Halles" area, as well as in the cities of Lille, Douai, Wattrelos, and Dinan in northern France.
The French government has announced the closure of the Louvre Museum and other museums in the capital Paris starting next Saturday in anticipation of the protests.
The protests began in response to demands regarding the high cost of living, a shortage of resources in the education sector, and a decline in public services, escalating over a weekend that saw protest actions accompanied by violence and looting across France.