Brief
France Deploys Military Amid Curfews as Trump Blames Migrants and Communists
Paris and other cities saw overnight curfews and a military presence after thousands of arrests and injuries during violent protests.
By Felo News Desk · Published
France announced the deployment of military forces to reinforce police after weekend riots that left around 1,000 officers injured and resulted in 2,400 arrests, according to the outlet LegalInsurrection.com. The government also imposed partial overnight curfews in Paris, Nice, Lyon and Lille, while U.S. President Donald Trump warned that "jihadists and communists" were fueling the unrest.
What happened
Violent protests erupted across French cities on October 17, 2026, with looting and arson reported in dozens of locations. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez told public broadcaster France24 that police had "lost control" in several cities over the weekend. The French government responded by extending curfews: an overnight curfew in central Paris, a specific curfew for young people in Nice, and partial curfews in Lyon and Lille, as reported by the BBC. Over the course of the unrest, police made 2,400 arrests and roughly 1,000 officers were injured, according to Reuters cited by LegalInsurrection.
What the reports add
LegalInsurrection noted that at least 3,000 French shops were hit over the weekend, and that more than half a million people participated in marches across the country, merging a month‑long student movement with broader discontent over living costs. The outlet also highlighted a social‑media post by President Trump claiming that France was being "conquered, looted, and burned to the ground by migrants, jihadists, and Communists who hate Christianity and Western Civilization." The article includes a tweet from Breaking911 that echoed Trump’s claim.
What was said
President Emmanuel Macron’s administration admitted it had "lost control" of inner‑city protests, while Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said authorities would mobilise a "massive" security effort. Trump, in a Truth Social post, warned of a rapid closure of France’s borders and warned that Paris could become a Muslim city, citing a conversation with Macron. A left‑wing French protester described being pushed aside by migrants who were "urgent shopping" while she shouted, "This isn’t the cause." The protester’s words were quoted in the article.
How it came about
The unrest follows weeks of escalating protests over rising living costs and declining public services, which earlier prompted an emergency address by Macron that was covered by Felo News on October 18. The same series of events also led to a series of curfews announced on October 19, as reported by Felo’s own coverage of French curfews after the riots.
Key facts
- France deployed military forces to reinforce police after weekend riots (legalinsurrection.com)
- Around 1,000 police officers were injured and 2,400 arrests were made (legalinsurrection.com)
- Partial overnight curfews were imposed in Paris, Nice, Lyon and Lille (legalinsurrection.com)
- President Trump blamed migrants, jihadists and communists for the unrest (legalinsurrection.com)
- At least 3,000 shops were damaged or looted during the weekend (legalinsurrection.com)
Sources
- [1] legalinsurrection.com — originally reported as “France to Deploy Military to Curb Riots as Trump Warns 'Jihadists And Communists' Are Driving Unrest”
