US, Other Countries Issue Advisories Over Violent Protests in France

The United States and several other countries urged citizens on Monday to exercise caution when traveling to France as anti-government protests turned violent.

The French government has imposed partial curfews in several cities, including Lille and parts of Paris, in response to ongoing protests that began on Oct. 17.

The U.S. Embassy in France said in its security alert that more curfews may be imposed as scattered protests continue.

The alert advised U.S. citizens to avoid demonstration areas and exercise caution if they unexpectedly find themselves near large gatherings. Those traveling to and from France were advised to verify flight schedules with their carriers.

The Chinese embassy advised its citizens traveling to France to be aware of the safety risks and avoid protest areas, warning that the security situation had “spiraled out of control” in some areas of the country.

Travelers were urged to promptly seek assistance from the police and the Chinese Embassy in France in the event of an emergency.

Canada’s government updated its travel advisory for France, reminding citizens to exercise “a high degree of caution” because of ongoing protests and curfews in some areas of the country.

“Even peaceful demonstrations can turn violent at any time,” the advisory stated, adding that travelers should expect “heightened security measures and an increased police presence” in France.

Governments across Europe, including Italy, Germany, the Czech Republic, Poland, the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, and Norway, also warned their citizens in France not to participate in demonstrations and to avoid areas where protests are taking place.

Nearly 2,400 people have been arrested in protests across France that involved looting, fires, and clashes with security officers. France has mobilized 60,000 police and other security forces to maintain order.

The unrest came after weeks of demonstrations by high school students protesting teacher shortages and poor-quality school buildings in suburbs with large immigrant populations, including descendants of immigrants from former French colonies in Africa.

The protest, organized by left-wing groups, was against rising prices and government spending cuts, and calls went out online to revive the Yellow Vest movement, which emerged in 2018 to protest the high cost of living.

French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez offered to resign on Oct. 19 as mass protests escalated. French President Emmanuel Macron refused to accept his resignation, citing the need to maintain command of the security forces amid the unrest.

Macron said in a post on X on Oct. 18 that individuals who attacked prefectures and businesses and looted town halls will face prosecution.

“No room for violence in our Republic,” he wrote. “We will all stand united against the sowers of chaos, who seek only to bring down our institutions and prevent those who peacefully express their demands from doing so.”

Both U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance responded to the unrest, saying that mass immigration was to blame.

“The migrants have taken over France,” Trump said Monday in a post on Truth Social. “They must CLOSE THE BORDERS, FAST!”

Vance said in a post on X that liberals in France and Europe “imported the third world into France and other countries in the name of diversity and compassion” and said they did not act to ensure those individuals assimilated into French society.

Jack Phillips and Reuters contributed to this report.