Daijiworld Media Network - Paris
Paris, Oct 18: Protests over rising living costs, deteriorating public services and worsening school conditions turned violent across France on Saturday, with buildings set ablaze, shops looted and clashes between demonstrators and police leaving more than 1,200 people arrested and 150 police officers injured.
An estimated 550,000 people took to the streets across the country, including 110,000 in Paris, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said. Protest organisers, however, claimed that the turnout was higher.
What began as student-led demonstrations over deteriorating conditions in secondary schools has developed into a broader movement involving trade unions and groups protesting against economic hardship and the government's handling of public services.
The main march in Paris remained largely peaceful during the afternoon, but tensions escalated towards evening. Groups of protesters set fires, torched vehicles near prominent locations, including Place de la Republique, and clashed with riot police. Officers deployed tear gas and water cannon to disperse crowds, while footage showed police charging at demonstrators and striking several people with batons.
Several businesses were vandalised and looted. A Louis Vuitton store in Bordeaux was reportedly targeted, while an Apple store in Lille was ransacked. Clothing and food stores in Paris were also attacked, and government buildings in Lille and Marseille were reportedly broken into. At least one restaurant was gutted by fire.
The unrest spread to several other cities. In Lyon, the city's tourist office caught fire, prompting Mayor Gregory Doucet to describe the incident as a tragedy because of the building's historic significance. Local police said hostile individuals had prevented firefighters from safely tackling the blaze.
In Limoges, a major fire at the town hall caused part of the building's roof to collapse, according to the local prefecture. Damage to buildings was also reported in Grenoble, Avignon, Pau, Montpellier and Valence.
Footage from Grenoble reportedly showed masked men driving a tourist train along a narrow city-centre street towards at least three riot police officers.
The demonstrations also resulted in serious injuries among protesters. Saint-Etienne Mayor Regis Juanico said a young man had lost his hand after a grenade exploded.
“Such a tragedy should never have happened,” Juanico said in a social media post.
The French Interior Ministry said targeted acts of violence had been carried out by hooded individuals in parts of Paris and in cities including Marseille, Rennes, Toulouse and Angers.
President Emmanuel Macron condemned the arson, looting and attacks on public buildings, warning that those responsible would face legal consequences.
“Those who have broken, attacked the prefectures as well as businesses, looted even our town halls, will be prosecuted and punished,” Macron said in a statement posted late on Saturday. He also criticised what he described as troublemakers disrupting peaceful demonstrations.
Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said police had faced violence of extreme intensity and accused some groups of using the demonstrations as a warm-up for the presidential election campaign. He warned that violence would not be allowed to determine the country's political agenda.
The police response has also come under scrutiny. The police watchdog is investigating at least two dozen allegations of police violence, while reports indicated that a teenager was among those seriously injured after picking up a stun grenade.
The Union Nationale des Syndicats Autonomes (UNSA) police union warned that officers were reaching breaking point. In a post on X, the union said police personnel had been attacked with stones and other objects at several locations.
The Paris Police Prefecture defended the response, saying officers would not retreat in the face of rioters and those attacking law enforcement.
The protests originated in discontent over conditions in France's secondary schools, known as lycees, which cater to students aged 15 to 18. Students have demonstrated in recent weeks over staff shortages and deteriorating facilities, accusing the government of failing to address their concerns.
The movement has since attracted trade union members and other groups angered by rising living costs. Members of the Yellow Vest movement, which emerged in 2018 over fuel prices and the cost of living, have also joined the demonstrations.
The government has attempted to address some of the concerns. Education Minister Edouard Geffray promised 3,000 additional supply teachers during a television interview on October 8. However, the protests have continued to intensify.
The unrest has further deepened political divisions ahead of the French presidential election scheduled for April next year. Macron is due to leave office in 2027, with National Rally leader Marine Le Pen and Jean-Luc Melenchon of the left-wing La France Insoumise among the prominent political figures in the contest.
Le Pen accused the far left of exploiting the demonstrations, claiming that legitimate public demands had been taken over by extremist elements. She also accused Melenchon of fuelling the violence.
Melenchon, who participated in the demonstrations, accused police of using excessive force against protesters while also condemning looting and arson. Lecornu criticised his remarks as dangerous and cynical, adding to the political tensions surrounding the unrest.