French Court Suspends Curfews and Gathering Bans for Minors in Loire Towns

A French administrative court in Lyon has suspended municipal orders that imposed curfews and banned gatherings for individuals under 16 after 11 p.m. in four towns within the Loire department. The ruling, made by the judge of summary proceedings, deemed the measures illegal due to an "absence of specific local circumstances."

The suspended orders, enacted in July by the mayors of Saint-Chamond, Villars, La Talaudière, and Saint-Priest-en-Jarez, prohibited gatherings of more than two people that disturb public order and restricted the presence of minors under 16 who were not accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. The court found that these measures lacked proportionality and were not adequately justified by the stated objective of protecting public safety and tranquility.

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I am angry that these measures, which correspond to feedback from the ground and the expectations of our citizens, are being attacked by the prefect, who, like the police, is our partner in public security.

Local mayors have reacted with anger to the court's decision. Axel Dugua, the mayor of Saint-Chamond, expressed frustration that measures reflecting community concerns and police reports of youth disturbances were being challenged. He noted that his commune had seen 188 interventions by national or municipal police concerning youth gatherings between January and July. Conversely, the Human Rights League welcomed the ruling, stating that the legal oversight had functioned correctly against disproportionate restrictions on civil liberties, though they acknowledged it was rare for a prefecture to initiate such legal challenges.

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We are satisfied that the state services' legality review has fully played its role in the face of disproportionate restrictions on civil liberties.