Loire municipalities' youth curfew orders suspended by French court

The administrative court in Lyon has suspended the enforcement of municipal curfew and anti‑gathering orders that barred minors under 16 from being out after 23:00 in four communes of the Loire department – Saint‑Chamond, Villars, La Talaudière and Saint‑Priest‑en‑Jarez. The court, acting on a request from the prefect of Loire, said there is a "serious doubt about their legality" because the measures lack specific local circumstances and are not proportionate to the stated aim of protecting public safety.

Saint‑Chamond mayor Axel Dugua denounced the suspension, arguing the curfews reflected local concerns and noting 188 police interventions on youth gatherings between January and July. The Ligue des droits de l'homme welcomed the ruling, highlighting the rarity of a prefecture initiating such a legal challenge and emphasizing the importance of protecting civil liberties.