France riots: Synagogue vandalised as violent protests escalate and Jewish leaders demand action

A synagogue has been vandalised and Jewish-owned businesses caught up in widespread looting as violent protests sweep across France, prompting Jewish leaders to demand President Emmanuel Macron declare a state of emergency.

The attacks have heightened fears for public safety as more than half a million demonstrators take to the streets, with riot police clashing with protesters and masked looters ransacking stores.

Governments are under pressure to respond as young people across Europe take to the streets to protest rising living costs, soaring housing prices and deteriorating education systems.

Demonstrations have spread across France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Belgium and Albania with protesters demanding better living conditions, higher wages and improved public services.

In Paris, a synagogue in the capital’s 19th arrondissement was vandalised during Saturday’s riots, with footage released by the Combat Antisemitism Movement showing tables, chairs and prayer books scattered throughout the building.

“When chaos and violence take over the streets, synagogues are the first to suffer,” the organisation’s chief executive Sacha Roytman said.

“The desecration of the synagogue in Paris is a clear warning sign: What begins against Jews never stops there.”

Several Jewish-owned businesses were also among shops looted during the unrest, although there is no evidence they were specifically targeted because of their owners’ religion, according to Ariel Goldmann of the Unified Jewish Social Fund.

French President Emmanuel Macron said demonstrations could be banned following the severe rioting.

“Given the current situation, the prefects will make decisions in co-ordination with mayors to protect our cities, public buildings and shops and - where necessary - even go so far as to ban certain gatherings and take all necessary measures,” the President said.

Bruno Benjamin, president of the Marseilles-Provence branch of the CRIF umbrella group of French Jewish institutions, called for tougher action, warning police were overwhelmed by the scale of the violence.

“I believe we need to declare a state of emergency in France, send in the army, massively increase law enforcement personnel and arrest these rioters and vandals by every means,” he told Jewish News Syndicate.

“We are questioning whether they can ensure everyone’s safety.”

When did protests start?

In France, high school students began protesting in late September, a week after the school year started.

Demonstrations have focused on teacher shortages, deteriorating classrooms, long school days and an opaque university admissions system.

Protests have since expanded to include the cost of living, including rising fuel prices following the US bombing that contributed to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

The General Confederation of Labour, one of France’s largest unions has backed the protests, calling for lower prices, higher pensions and increased wages.

Demonstrations reached a peak on Saturday as mounting frustration further fuelled protests.

But the violence has also raised concerns about antisemitism, with Jewish community representatives demanding greater protection following the synagogue vandalism and widespread looting.

Former French politician Meyer Habib condemned the destruction and urged Mr Macron to do more to protect citizens.

“I feel pain for France, my country, and call on my French brethren: Wake up before it’s too late,” he said.

In Spain, protests erupted in September after the eviction of Maricarmen Abascal, whose rent was reportedly increased by 230 per cent by an investment fund. She died two weeks later after being admitted to hospital, prompting renewed anger over housing affordability.

Have the protests brought change?

The French government has announced an additional 3,000 substitute teachers to address staffing shortages and involve students in school decision-making.

It has also scrapped proposed increases to some university registration fees in next year’s Budget and announced fuel subsidies for certain industries following earlier demonstrations.

But the concessions have not ended the demonstrations, with protesters continuing to raise concerns about education standards and the broader cost of living crisis.

In Spain, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez attempted to introduce emergency housing legislation to strengthen tenant protections, however, the proposals were defeated in parliament by right-wing parties.

Hundreds of people gathered in Lisbon, Portugal, to protest against property prices. Meanwhile in Albania, demonstrations have been underway since May.

When will demonstrations end?

There is little indication as to when the unrest will end, with the government facing pressure to address the underlying grievances while maintaining public order.

Mr Macron is nearing the end of his second presidential term and delivered a televised address following a crisis meeting with key ministers.

But interior minister Laurent Nunez has signalled the government may be reluctant to make further concessions, blaming “far-left” protesters and people involved in looting and vandalism for some of the disorder.

Jewish leaders are also demanding stronger security measures, with calls for a state of emergency adding to the pressure on Mr Macron to restore order.

In Spain, protests could ease if the government manages to secure some housing measures through parliament’s permanent council, which operates when parliament is not in session.

Both Sanchez’s Socialists and the conservative People’s Party have promised to prioritise housing and increase construction ahead of the upcoming election.