Protestsupdated 1h ago2 min read
Rioters Loot And Burn Cities Across France After Cost-Of-Living Protests
This article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the NewsCord team.
About 550,000 protesters took to the streets nationwide. Looting targeted luxury brands and public buildings across multiple cities.
15 outlets told this the same way.
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Saturday protests turn riotous
France’s cost-of-living protests escalated into riots and looting across cities including Paris, Marseille, Nice, Bordeaux, Lille and Strasbourg after largely peaceful marches on Saturday. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said it was “a miracle the toll isn’t higher,” after authorities reported about 1,200 arrests and 150 injured police officers.
Paris Deputy Mayor Emmanuel Gregoire said “whole streets have been devastated” as police used tear gas and water cannon against protesters who hurled projectiles and set off fireworks. BBC reporting described police arresting about 1,800 people on Saturday as some 550,000 demonstrators took to the streets for protests that were largely peaceful, before groups of rioters set fire to cars and buildings in Paris, Marseille and other towns and cities.
Blame, injuries, and arrests
Emmanuel Macron warned that those responsible for looting and attacks on public buildings “will be prosecuted and punished,” as far-right and left-wing contenders traded blame over the violence. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said “Some opportunistic criminals have also looted shops” in several areas, while the BBC said riot police turned tear gas and water cannon on crowds in Paris.
Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin urged that “Preventive detention should be sought” for the authors of “urban violence of unprecedented gravity,” as RFI said at least 1,800 people were detained with 855 in Paris. RFI reported that 13 police officers and gendarmes and two firefighters were injured in the capital, and it said authorities described “violent groups” with size “from 500 to more than 1,000.”
What comes next
French President Emmanuel Macron said “We will all stand united against the sowers of chaos,” as the unrest followed weeks of student protests and came six months before the presidential election. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said the government would not be “intimidated” by violence and blamed the unrest on the “ultra-left” and criminals, while News24 said Lecornu wrote on X that “No one will impose their political agenda through violence.”
RFI said authorities announced a tally of 1,200 detentions and 150 police and gendarmes injured across the country, and it reported that 517 people remained detained, including 171 minors. RFI also said a fire destroyed the Limoges town hall and that Maurice Barate denounced it as “The fire was deliberately started,” while the BBC described Limoges town hall as “largely lost” after part of the building collapsed.