Rubbish piles up in Paris as protests over living costs turn violent across France
At least 1,200 people were arrested and 150 police officers injured as an estimated 550,000 people took to the streets, with clashes, fires and looting reported in several cities. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said 150 police officers were injured during the unrest. The protests began with students raising concerns over staff shortages and dilapidated facilities in the country’s lycées, secondary schools attended by students aged 15 to 18. More than 1,200 people were arrested as police clashed with protesters in Paris and several other cities on Saturday, with dozens of shops and public buildings damaged. France’s interior minister Laurent Nuñez said 60 law enforcement officers were injured, including two who were taken to hospital unconscious.
Damage to buildings was also reported in Grenoble, Avignon, Pau, Montpellier and Valence.
France’s Interior Ministry said “targeted acts of violence” had been carried out by “hooded individuals” in parts of Paris and other cities, including Marseille, Rennes, Toulouse and Angers. The French government described the violence as an “escalation in violence”. A group of young demonstrators told the BBC that they were “pacifists” who were “just trying to make things change, but nothing is moving”. Among them are members of the gilets jaunes, or “yellow vest”, movement, which demonstrated against rising living costs for more than a year from 2018, becoming one of the longest-running protest movements in French history.
In Paris, clashes between protesters and riot police continued into the evening, with officers using tear gas and water cannon to disperse crowds. Buildings were set on fire in the capital and other parts of the country, while businesses were looted and public property vandalised. In Limoges, a large fire at the town hall caused part of its roof to collapse. Clothes and food shops were raided in Paris, while an Apple store in Lille was broken into and emptied. However, the main march in Paris appeared largely peaceful during the afternoon. Their numbers have grown in recent weeks, with trade union members and other protest groups joining the demonstrations. You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test. Cars were set alight, businesses were ransacked and fires broke out in public buildings, including a town hall in Limoges, where part of the roof collapsed. The unrest comes amid growing political uncertainty ahead of the next presidential election, with protesters accusing the government of failing to address economic pressures and public grievances.
Earlier reporting noted: French President Emmanuel Macron has vowed strict action against those involved in arson, looting and attacks on public buildings after violent clashes erupted across France during nationwide demonstrations against the rising cost of living and deteriorating public services. Earlier reporting noted: The unrest, which also drew support from students protesting against school conditions and alleged excessive police force, saw officers deploy tear gas and water cannon to disperse masked demonstrators. Visuals from Châtelet in Paris showed streets littered with rubbish in the aftermath of violent protests across France on Saturday against deteriorating school conditions and the rising cost of living. Earlier reporting noted: In a post on X on Sunday, Macron condemned the violence and backed security forces, saying those responsible for attacking public institutions and businesses would face prosecution and punishment.