BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 20. A total of 2,513 people have been detained during protests and riots in France that have been ongoing since October 17, while 67 others have been remanded in custody, French Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin said.
Commenting on the arson attack on the town hall in Limoges, carried out by rioters and resulting in the complete destruction of the building’s bell tower, the minister said that the National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office could join the investigation in the near future.
On October 17, mass demonstrations were held in Paris and other French cities to protest rising fuel prices and declining purchasing power. The organizers claimed that 800,000 people had taken part in the demonstrations, while France’s Ministry of the Interior put the figure at 550,000.
In several cities, the demonstrations escalated into riots and clashes between police and protesters. French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez stated that those involved in the riots and looting would be held accountable.