In France, during mass protests against the rising cost of living on October 17, clashes with police, arson, and riots took place in several major cities. According to Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu, about 1,200 people were detained during the day, and 150 police officers were injured, AFP reports.
In Paris, rioters looted cosmetics and electronics stores, damaged the monument at Place de la République, and set fire to the La Barrique bar. After breaking into a telecommunications store, people threw mobile phones into the crowd. In a nearby supermarket, protesters took bottles of alcohol and cans of drinks, which they then threw at police officers. Law enforcement used tear gas and water cannons.
In Marseille, rioters damaged dozens of stores, including outlets of the luxury brand Hermès, jewelry stores, clothing shops, cosmetics stores, and home appliance stores. Shops selling bread were also affected. Firefighters had to extinguish a blaze in a shoe store.
In Lille, participants in the unrest looted an Apple store in the city center. This was reported by the city’s mayor, Arnaud Deslandes. In Nice, several sportswear stores and a motorcycle dealership were looted.
One of the most serious incidents was the fire at the historic city hall of Limoges. The 19th-century building sustained severe damage. According to AFP, the roof collapsed onto the lower floors, and about two-thirds of the facade was lost. The city’s mayor and the prefect of the Haute-Vienne department described the damage as extremely serious.
In Saint-Étienne, a 17-year-old participant in the protest lost his hand after a grenade used by security forces exploded. The prosecutor’s office transferred the investigation into the circumstances of the injury to the General Inspectorate of the French National Police (IGPN). According to preliminary information, the teenager picked up the grenade from the ground. The exact model of the munition was not disclosed.
Prime Minister Lecornu condemned what happened and said that those responsible would be held accountable. Late in the evening, he met together with Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez with members of the security forces who had taken part in maintaining order.
Paris Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire said that entire streets of the capital had been devastated, and that shops and urban infrastructure had suffered large-scale destruction. Together with the mayors of Lyon and Marseille, he requested a meeting with the prime minister at the beginning of next week.
Socialist Party leader Olivier Faure also condemned the rioters, saying that they discredit the mass movement launched by school pupils and students. At the same time, he called for a review of methods of maintaining public order and for pursuing de-escalation instead of further intensifying the confrontation.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance linked the unrest to immigration. In a post on the social network X, he said that, in his view, Western progressive politicians had underestimated issues of migrant integration. Vance also urged France to stop the violence while commenting on footage of the fire at Limoges city hall.
The protests took place amid French public discontent over declining purchasing power, rising fuel prices, and worsening conditions in the education system.
In recent weeks, tensions had also been rising because of accusations that police used excessive force during demonstrations by school students. The unrest occurred several months before France’s presidential election scheduled for 2027.