PARIS, October 22. /TASS/. As many as 2,700 people have been detained in France following riots, Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin told reporters.
"As many as 2,700 people have been taken into police custody and 217 of them incarcerated since Saturday," the Le Parisien newspaper quoted him as saying.
"Really tough measures have been taken," Darmanin added.
Mass rallies against rising fuel prices and declining purchasing power took place across France, including in the capital, Paris, on October 17. According to organizers, 800,000 people took part in the demonstrations, while the Interior Ministry put the figure at 550,000. In several cities, protests escalated into riots and clashes with police. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez pledged that all those involved in vandalism and looting would be held accountable.