Far-right French mayor imposes curfew on children to tackle 'violence'

A far-right French mayor has announced the introduction of a nighttime curfew for children under 13 in a bid to curb alleged youth violence, which has become a political issue in the run-up to European elections in June. 

Police officers detain two teenagers in Beziers, southern France, on April 23, 2024. The mayor of Beziers Robert Menard has introduced a curfew for minors under the age of 13 in several districts, he said on April 23, 2024, the day on which unions and left-wing associations will be demonstrating “against far-right ideas” in the town. (Photo by Pascal GUYOT / AFP) AFP - PASCAL GUYOT

Robert Ménard, the independent mayor of the southern town of Beziers, on Tuesday said the curfew would be effective every night in three neighbourhoods from 11pm to 6am until 30 September. 

Children may only be outside if accompanied by an adult. 

In cases of emergency or "immediate danger to themselves or others", minors may be either escorted home or to a police station, a decree filed with the police prefecture said.  

Parents of the children concerned may face criminal charges.

Ménard, former associate of far-right leader Marine Le Pen, said the move was needed to combat urban violence – namely the burning of a school in 2019 and riots in July 2023 – and because an increasing number of minors were being “left to themselves in the middle of the night". 

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Youth 'blind spot'

The curfew comes 10 years after Ménard enacted a similar decree that was later rejected by the Council of State because it failed to provide evidence to support the existence of particular risks relating to minors under 13. 

In an interview with Agence France-Presse, Ménard said the delinquency of minors under 13 was a "blind spot" in statistics because they were not brought before a court and not sentenced. 

As many as 3,000 people marched in Beziers on Tuesday against the policies of the far-right mayor. 

France last week ordered a curfew on children under 18 in its overseas territory of Guadeloupe to address a wave of crime. 

Christian Estrosi, mayor of the southern city of Nice, told BFM television he was considering reinstating a curfew for under-13s in his city of more than 300,000 people. 

Several French cities have installed nighttime curfews for children for limited periods in the past. 

(with AFP)