The Louvre Museum in Paris closed its doors on Monday (October 19) after protesters blocked the entrance, marking a dramatic escalation in France’s ongoing unrest over rising living costs and school conditions. Demonstrations that began earlier this month intensified over the weekend, resulting in some of the worst street violence France has seen in years, with more than 2,400 people arrested nationwide and significant damage to businesses and property.

According to Le Monde, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu called for the imposition of "partial" and "localized" curfews in cities including Lille, Wattignies, Douai, and Denain to stem the violence and protect businesses after hundreds of shops were looted. The unrest, fueled by surging prices—diesel up nearly 40 percent, gasoline up 25 percent since March, and food prices rising 25 percent since 2021—has drawn crowds of over half a million across France. What started as student-led protests morphed into riots in several areas, with masked groups attacking law enforcement, setting public buildings ablaze, and vandalizing shops and vehicles.

On Monday, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez offered his resignation, admitting that police "had lost control" during the weekend's unrest. President Emmanuel Macron refused to accept the resignation, though he acknowledged failures in the government’s response despite deploying 60,000 law enforcement officers across the country. Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin said that over 2,330 people were taken into custody, with many already known to authorities.

The Louvre closure came as students from Ecole du Louvre and young demonstrators blocked the museum’s entrance. A leaflet posted outside read, "We are proud to announce that we are blocking the world's largest museum," as cited by Le Monde. Eliott, a history teacher and doctoral student, told Al Jazeera that the protest also called attention to difficult working conditions for Louvre staff, saying, "Security is catastrophic, they are permanently understaffed, and they work intolerable hours."

Paris Mayor Emmanuel Gregoire urged the government to "begin negotiations with high school, student and employee organisations," emphasizing that a political response was needed to address the ongoing crisis, as reported by Al Jazeera.

Over the weekend, more than 2,000 shops across France were damaged or looted, with losses running into "hundreds of millions of euros," according to chamber of commerce president Alain Di Crescenzo, as noted by Le Monde. The prime minister warned that the government was prepared to declare a state of emergency if violence continued.

President Macron condemned the violence in a televised address, allowing local authorities to ban rallies if necessary, but stopping short of announcing a nationwide emergency. The European Union and neighboring countries have called for calm and condemned the violence, while also emphasizing the right to peaceful protest.

With more demonstrations expected in the coming days and the presidential election approaching, French officials continue to seek ways to restore order. For now, the closure of the Louvre stands as a symbol of the scale and intensity of the unrest gripping France.

Sunday Nights with Bill Cunningham

Bill Cunningham