A police officer was struck by a Molotov cocktail in Paris during violent protests over living costs, with 565 arrested across France
The interior ministry said 565 people had been arrested across France. Nuñez had announced that 70,000 police officers and gendarmes, including elite units, would be deployed across the country, warning that Saturday was expected to be a high-risk day. Dozens of masked people dressed in black used hammers to prise up paving stones and throw them at police, while at least one incendiary device was hurled at security forces, AFP journalists reported. In Berlin, demonstrators threw bottles and eggs, while protesters in Hamburg set barricades on fire, Bild reported.
Interior minister Laurent Nuñez said around 150 planned demonstrations had passed off peacefully but condemned what he described as an “extraordinary” level of violence by some groups as the rallies ended. The Paris police prefecture said several hundred rioters had attacked officers with projectiles. He described the attack on the police officer with a Molotov cocktail as an “attempted murder”. In Frankfurt, at least two stores were looted and several others damaged, while police struggled to regain control, according to a Reuters witness.
Four police officers and one gendarme were injured in Paris, with three officers suffering burns from Molotov cocktails. The march was mostly peaceful until it reached its final destination. Police responded with tear gas and baton charges. The violence came despite a major security deployment. In Lyon, clashes broke out after protesters threw projectiles at police, who responded with tear gas. In Toulouse, officers used water cannon against an unauthorised demonstration attended by several thousand people, mostly young protesters. In Cologne, officers used water cannon after protesters allegedly targeted them with fireworks.
A police officer was struck by a Molotov cocktail during clashes in Paris on Saturday, as demonstrations over rising living costs and deteriorating public services turned violent in several French cities.
