A French flag flies as protesters stand on the Marianne statue of the Place de la République during a demonstration against the cost of living and rising fuel prices in Paris as part of nationwide protests called by the "Yellow Vests" movement, joined by French high school and university students, teachers and parents demanding better school conditions and government action, as well as labour unions, workers, farmers and retirees, in France, on October 17, 2026. | Photo Credit: Reuters
France is in turmoil. More than half a million people hit the streets on October 17, as protests swept across the country. As the administration greeted the protesters with a large deployment of riot police, peaceful demonstrations were engulfed by violence in many places. Arsonists set fire to the Lyon tourist office and burnt down the Limoges City Hall, a historic municipal building. Protesters stormed the townhall in Marseille and attacked the prefect’s residence in Bordeaux. In Paris’s Place de la Republique, protesting youth who clashed with the police torched vehicles and looted shops. Luxury retailers such as Louis Vuitton, Hermes, Dior and Galeries Lafayette suffered millions of dollars in losses as their stores were ransacked. Police arrested or detained more than 6,000 people, including hundreds of minors.
With the police outnumbered and unable to protect public and private property, several cities resorted to full or partial curfews. Government officials have blamed the unrest on “seditionists from far-left fringe groups”. They have accused La France Insoumise, or LFI (France Unbowed), the leftwing political party launched by veteran politician Jean-Luc Melenchon (75), of inciting the protests with the aim of extracting political mileage ahead of the presidential elections in April 2027.
Published - October 25, 2026 01:15 am IST