In response to increasing drug trafficking-related violence, several French cities have introduced night-time curfews for minors, aiming to protect vulnerable youth from gang violence and exploitation.
French Cities Enforce Night Curfews to Combat Youth Drug Violence
French Cities Enforce Night Curfews to Combat Youth Drug Violence
Authorities respond to rising drug-related violence with youth curfews in multiple French cities.
Authorities in various French cities are implementing night-time curfews for young people following a concerning rise in drug-related violence. Nîmes, a city in the south, has recently adopted measures intended to shield individuals under 16 from violence and curb rising tensions. The introduction of additional police units is part of this initiative.
Recent weeks have seen several violent incidents linked to drug trafficking, including a lethal shooting in broad daylight and the discovery of a 19-year-old's partially burned body near Nîmes. Mayor Jean-Paul Fournier described the escalating situation as "untenable," citing that drug traffickers have instilled a "climate of fear and terror" within the community.
The newly enforced curfew is set between 21:00 and 06:00, with Deputy Mayor Richard Schieven emphasizing the importance of safeguarding minors who are either innocent or exploited by drug gangs. Nearby Béziers has enforced a curfew for those under 13 since the previous year, extending the restrictions to under 15s in specific regions since March. Mayor Robert Ménard remarked that "a 10-year-old out on the street at 02:00 is up to nothing but mischief," underscoring the necessity of these measures.
Despite the implementation of curfews, Béziers continues to grapple with violence. Recent reports indicated balaclava-clad youths ambushing police officers with fireworks. Limoges, another southwestern city, has also instituted a curfew for minors, yet Mayor Émile Roger Lombertie expressed frustration that disturbances persisted and the curfews failed to deter the youth involved in violence.
This surge in violence recalls a tragic incident from two years ago when a 10-year-old boy was fatally shot in Nîmes. The latest trend indicates that drug violence is extending beyond its traditional epicenter in Marseille, impacting other regions.
The French interior ministry reports that drug-related violence resulted in 110 fatalities and over 300 injuries nationwide in 2024 alone. Interior Minister Gérard Darmanin and Justice Minister Bruno Retailleau have been vocal about the need to tackle the drug trade’s impact, passing legislation that established maximum-security prisons for drug lords and special protections for informants.
Darmanin confirmed that the first 17 of the country's most notorious drug traffickers have now been relocated to a high-security facility in Vendin-le-Vieil, underlining the government’s commitment to fighting this escalating crisis amid rising incidents of violence attributed to drug gangs.
