PARIS, France — The streets of Paris and eight other French cities were deserted on Saturday night on the first day of the government-imposed 9 p.m. curfew that is set to last at least four weeks.
The measure was announced this week by French President Emmanuel Macron to curb the resurgent coronavirus as new daily infections peaked to over 30,000.
Macron said the curfews were needed to stop hospitals from becoming overrun.
Many restaurant owners are up in arms about the move that is forcing them to close early.
In France, nearly 20 million people are covered by the curfew, and eerily deserted scenes were observed in Marseille, Lyon, Lille, and Toulouse as well. The curfew runs until 6 a.m. daily.
