Over 1,000 people were detained in France on Saturday (local time) after demonstrations turned violent across several cities, with riots spreading beyond the capital and several government buildings set ablaze.
According to reports, the country woke up to devastated streets on Sunday after clashes, mass looting and fires erupted nationwide as marches against the rising cost of living plunged into "extreme" violence. The widespread unrest that turned violent on Saturday came after weeks of student protests and roughly six months ahead of elections to replace President Emmanuel Macron.
Hundreds of thousands of protesters on streets: Here's what's happening
According to Interior Minister Laurent Nunez, over 550,000 people participated in the demonstrations across the country, while the CGT union told Reuters it estimated the turnout at around 800,000.
Reuters reported that the historic town hall in Limoges, central France, caught fire, with footage showing the roof giving way. In Marseille, protesters dressed in black forced their way into city hall and vandalised it, while demonstrators in Lyon set the city’s tourist office ablaze.
According to Reuters, peaceful demonstrations took place in scores of cities, but violent fringe groups attacked public buildings, looted luxury boutiques and supermarkets, and targeted police vehicles and officers. Protesters blamed the violence on people intent on causing damage, saying most participants had marched peacefully. Many carried placards criticising the police, the president and the wealthy.
Several protesters sought to draw parallels with the French Revolution of 1789. "It's the Revolution -- we're taking the Bastille!" some shouted in Marseille as they forced their way into the mayor's offices, AFP reported.
Police in Paris used tear gas and water cannons to push back people wearing hoods and masks who threw fireworks, paving stones and other objects at officers in the northeast of the city centre.
Student protest turns ugly: What went wrong
The primary grievance was the rising cost of living, partly due to the Middle East war, which has sent inflation soaring in Europe and elsewhere. Protesters also criticised declining public services. The demonstrations escalated into some of the worst violence Paris has seen in decades.
The New York Times, citing a student union that is one of the movement's main organisers, reported that students in France have been protesting for a month over crumbling infrastructure, overcrowded classrooms, overloaded schedules, a shortage of teachers and staff, and underfunded schools. Some are also demanding the abolition of state-run admissions platforms for higher education, calling them unfairly selective.
The New York Times quoted a 15-year-old student as saying, "Classrooms are not ventilated, and we can barely open the windows."
Speaking to Al Jazeera, a high school student taking part in the protests said, “Everybody has come together asking the government for a final time to hear us loud and clear because it is not OK what is happening."
According to AP, protesters across the country responded to social media calls to revive the "yellow vest" movement of 2018 against social injustice. Demonstrators have expressed widespread frustration and anger as gasoline, energy and food prices have continued to rise over the past few months.
Trade unions and left-wing parties have rallied behind the demonstrations, linking them to broader public frustration as Emmanuel Macron approaches the end of his presidency, unable to seek a third consecutive term.
The government’s initial handling also came under criticism. According to Le Monde, authorities underestimated the student movement and missed early warning signs while concentrating on the next budget. As demonstrations spread, controversy over police tactics, arrests and injuries added to the anger.
French government's response
Condemning the violence, the French government has responded forcefully. Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin said he had directed prosecutors to pursue criminal charges wherever possible and seek to hold parents liable for damage.
In a post on X, French President Emmanuel Macron wrote, "No room for violence in our Republic. Those who have broken in, attacked the prefectures as well as businesses, looted even our town halls, will be prosecuted and punished. To the law enforcement forces, guarantors of the right to demonstrate, I express the support of the Nation."
He added, "We will all stand united against the sowers of chaos, who seek only to bring down our institutions and prevent those who peacefully express their demands from doing so."
(with agency inputs)
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Swati Gandhi
Swati Gandhi is a digital journalist with over four years of experience, specialising in international and geopolitical issues. Her work focuses on foreign policy, global power shifts, and the political and economic forces shaping international relations, with a particular emphasis on how global developments affect India. She approaches journalism with a strong belief in context-driven reporting, aiming to break down complex global events into clear, accessible narratives for a wide readership.<br><br> Previously, Swati has worked at Business Standard, where she covered a range of beats including national affairs, politics, and business. This diverse newsroom experience helped her build a strong grounding in reporting, while also strengthening her ability to work across both breaking news and in-depth explanatory stories. Covering multiple beats early in her career has helped her be informed about her current work, allowing her to connect domestic developments with wider international trends.<br><br> At Live Mint, she focuses on international and geopolitical issues through a business and economic lens, examining how global political developments, foreign policy decisions, and power shifts impact markets, industries, and India’s strategic and economic interests.<br><br> She holds a Bachelor’s degree in English (Honours) from the University of Delhi and a Master’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University. Her academic training has shaped her emphasis on precision, analytical rigour, and clarity in writing. Her interests include global political economy and the intersection of geopolitics with business.<br><br> Outside work, Swati focuses on exploring her passion and love for food. From fancy cafes to street spots, Swati explores food like a true foodie.