At least 2,400 people were arrested overnight in France as demonstrations over the cost of living and school conditions descended into violence, with buildings set on fire and businesses looted in cities across the country.
Thousands of protesters took to the streets after French President Emmanuel Macron voiced "anger" and "shame" over rioting that accompanied what were largely peaceful protests. Officials, including Macron, sought to blame far-left agitators for the disorder, while Macron and his wife Brigitte were compared to Marie Antoinette as they attended a party on Saturday.
Violence Erupts in Paris and Beyond
Much of the disorder centred on Paris, where hundreds of protesters gathered again on Sunday at the Place de la République, facing a heavy police presence. Officers used tear gas as tensions flared sporadically, with small groups attempting to set bicycles and trash bins on fire.
Officials estimated Saturday's marches drew around 55,000 people, while organisers claimed the turnout was closer to 800,000. Demonstrations also took place in Marseille and Lyon, the country's second and third largest cities.
Buildings Damaged in Marseille, Lyon and Limoges
In Marseille, some protesters briefly forced their way into City Hall's lobby, and a group wearing hoods and masks damaged a police station. In Lyon, a fire broke out inside a tourist office.
In Limoges, a smaller city in central France, City Hall burst into flames after a group branded "radical troublemakers" broke in. At the time, elected officials, employees, security personnel and members of the public were inside, according to Haute-Vienne prefect Maurice Barate. He called the arson "extremely serious", saying: "They deliberately set the building on fire. It is an extremely serious and unspeakable act."
Injuries and Investigations
Mayors of each city requested meetings with the prime minister due to the "extent of the damage and the seriousness of the situation". In eastern France, the Mulhouse prosecutor's office said an investigation has been opened after a 17-year-old girl was injured during the protests and lost an eye. On Saturday, another investigation was opened after a young protester lost a hand in Saint-Etienne.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez condemned the "disorder" in a post on X, writing: "The right to protest is a fundamental right. Deliberately and collectively sowing disorder through violence is not."
Business Owners Count the Cost
Demonstrations from legitimate protesters have remained largely peaceful, but business owners have been targeted by opportunistic rioters. Shop owner Hassan, from Paris, said he believed he had lost more than €100,000 (£84,114) after CCTV caught rioters looting his stock. He told the BBC: "I can't believe it. I can't - it's my life, my whole life is here. I don't know what I can do."
Shops were reportedly looted across Lyon, Marseille, Bordeaux, Rennes, Strasbourg, Grenoble, Nice, Limoges, and Paris, according to business leaders. The head of France's Chambers of Commerce and Industry (CCI), Alain Di Crescenzo, told broadcaster RTL that up to 2,000 shops were impacted, with the riots resulting in "hundreds of millions of euros" worth of damage. The CCI called the violence "unacceptable" and said it was setting up support for affected businesses.
