Smashed storefronts, burned buildings: France wakes up to aftermath of violent protests

Cities across France woke up on Sunday to devastated streets, smashed storefronts and burned buildings - the aftermath of violent demonstrations against the rising cost of living that swept the country.

More than half-a-million people joined Saturday’s nationwide protests. Cities including Paris, Marseille, Bordeaux, Limoges and Nice saw clashes between protesters and police, mass looting and fires.

French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu condemned the "extreme intensity" of the violence. He said 1,200 people had been arrested and 150 police officers hurt. A 17-year-old boy had his right hand blown off by a crowd-control grenade in the southern city of Saint-Etienne.

The widespread unrest followed weeks of student protests and comes just six months ahead of presidential elections.

The violence has drawn global headlines. Without evidence, in a post on social media US Vice President JD Vance blamed immigration and what he called "problems of assimilation" for the unrest.

Far-right leader Marine Le Pen claimed that the party of her far-left rival for the presidency, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, had "legitimised the violence.”

Mélenchon, who had supported the demonstrations and the student protests, urged people to stay away from any looting, describing it as "contrary to our methods.”

President Macron said that "those who carried out vandalism, attacked administrative offices or businesses, or carried out looting - even in our town halls, will be prosecuted and punished."