French prime minister seeks telecom blackout plan ahead of protests, while security forces deployed across country
Sebastien Lecornu asked major French telecoms to prepare a DNS-based shutdown of TikTok, Instagram and X if unrest escalates, as authorities deployed tens of thousands of security personnel and arrested about 1,000 demonstrators.
French prime minister Sebastien Lecornu sent a letter to the CEOs of Orange, SFR, Free and Bouygues Telecom asking the operators to be ready to block access to TikTok, Instagram and X via DNS filtering, while keeping other internet services functional. The request, described as exploratory, was framed as a contingency measure in case of a repeat of urban violence.
"I wish to have the ability to temporarily suspend access to these services in case of a repeat of urban violence," the letter read.
"I would be grateful if you would maintain the confidentiality necessary for the preparation of this measure, which, at this stage, remains exploratory in nature," Lecornu added.
French interior minister Laurent Nuñez said the marches in Paris had proceeded well and described the overall level of violence as caused by "ultra-left" extremists. He noted that about 1,000 people were arrested nationwide and two individuals suffered serious injuries, including a man in Toulouse who lost fingers and another person in Clermont-Fand.
Authorities reported that 70,000 security personnel were deployed across France for the demonstrations, which coincided with major sporting events such as the NFL game in Paris. Betting markets showed a surge in support for Marine Le Pen ahead of the 2027 presidential election, while Italian premier Giorgia Meloni announced additional security measures in response to related protests in Italy.