France woke up on Sunday to burnt-out barricades, looted shops and a torched historic town hall. In Washington, US President Donald Trump linked it to immigration.
"France is burning! The immigration of people from an entirely different world, people with hatred in their hearts, has shattered that once-great country. Close your Borders and take control before it is too late!" Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social.
The unrest in France began with students demanding more teachers and better school conditions. It then widened to include unions and people worried about the cost of living and public services. The nationwide demonstrations were called against high inflation and the cost of living. The French interior ministry said 550,000 people attended, while the CGT union put the figure at 800,000. The demands reported so far centre on prices and public services, not immigration.
Peaceful marches have since turned into arson, looting and attacks on public buildings. The violence took place on the sidelines of the nationwide protests.
Night Of Damage And Mass Arrests
France was reeling on Sunday from the damage. Around "1,800 people have been arrested, and now investigations are under way to identify the perpetrators of these acts so they can be brought to justice", Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said on X on Sunday.
In Paris, police said a "record" 855 people had been arrested. The streets were littered with the burnt remains of barricades built from bikes, bins and other materials. Several streets had smashed shop windows and burnt-out cars.
Scores of shops were looted by masked youths in Paris and in other cities. Around 500 police, firemen and paramedics were hurt.
This was not Trump's first comment on the unrest. Earlier, he mocked the violence sweeping France.
"Let's go to France? It's a lovely place. No riots, no revolutions. You know, France seems to be so damn good for revolutions. It's unbelievable. Let's go to France and join the revolution," Trump joked.
Vice President JD Vance also implied that the unrest stemmed from immigration.
"Western liberals imported the third world into France and other countries in the name of diversity and compassion. They ignored fundamental questions of assimilation and compatibility," Vance said on X.
He added, "They were told it would lead to this and they didn't listen. I pray that France, a beautiful country of amazing people, will stop this madness before more of its landmarks burn. And I hope Americans are paying attention. This is the future congressional Democrats seek for your country."
READ | "Let's Go To France": Trump Mocks Nationwide Protests, Violence
Trump has tied unrest and social problems to immigration before, at home and abroad. Curbing immigration has been central to his politics. When he took office in January 2025, he proclaimed illegal immigration an "invasion" that he would take extraordinary measures to stop.
President Emmanuel Macron said those behind the violence would face punishment.
"Those who carried out vandalism, attacked administrative offices or businesses, or carried out looting -- even in our town halls, will be prosecuted and punished," Macron said.
The protests come about six months before the presidential elections, adding to the pressure on the government. The French economy, the second largest in the Eurozone, is under strain from debt and rising fuel prices due to the war in the Middle East.