PARIS – French President Emmanuel Macron has called for calm following some of the country’s worst riots in years, triggered by protests over rising living costs and deteriorating public services.
Thousands of people were arrested and businesses were looted or damaged after demonstrations across France turned violent on Saturday.
Fresh clashes erupted in Paris and Marseille on Sunday as riot police were deployed to prevent further looting. The previous day’s unrest saw a town hall set on fire, shops ransacked and buildings vandalised, alongside confrontations between violent groups and police in several cities.
Reacting to the scenes, Macron condemned the destruction in a televised address, saying nothing could justify the violence. He also acknowledged that peaceful protesters had legitimate grievances and should not be equated with those seeking to cause disorder.
Macron stopped short of declaring a state of emergency, as demanded by some right-wing politicians, but said the government would empower local authorities to ban demonstrations when necessary to protect public buildings and businesses.
The unrest has highlighted growing public frustration with Macron, who is due to leave office in 2027 after a decade in power. His administration has faced mounting social discontent, economic difficulties and rising national debt.
Thousands Arrested, Police Injured
France’s Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said police had arrested 2,400 people nationwide, while nearly 1,000 police officers were injured.
Police clashed with demonstrators again at Place de la Republique in Paris on Sunday evening, firing tear gas to disperse crowds. Protesters also set fire to piles of bicycles.
Large-scale clean-up operations were carried out in cities including Lille, Marseille, Strasbourg and Bordeaux. In Bordeaux, masked individuals reportedly broke into the residence of a senior local administration official.
Dutch entrepreneur Tije De Boer, who was visiting Paris with his children, described the situation as resembling a war zone after they were forced to leave their hotel at Place de la Republique.
More than 500,000 people took part in demonstrations across dozens of cities on Saturday. The protests, which began as a student movement a month ago, expanded amid broader public anger over living costs and declining public services.
Businesses Suffer Millions in Losses
Although hundreds of thousands demonstrated peacefully, smaller groups targeted public buildings, looted luxury boutiques and supermarkets, and attacked vehicles and police officers.
Marine Le Pen, leader of the right-wing National Rally party, urged the public to remain calm, condemning violence and destruction. Meanwhile, Jean-Luc Melenchon of the left-wing France Unbowed party called on Macron to respond to the demands of secondary school students involved in the demonstrations.
In Limoges, a city known for its porcelain industry, the clock tower of the town hall collapsed after a fire. Mayor Guillaume Guerin said the city lacked sufficient police resources to manage the unrest and warned that the building had been deliberately targeted.
France’s Economy Minister Roland Lescure pledged government assistance for affected businesses, saying those responsible for the destruction would be held accountable.
Carrefour Chief Executive Alexandre Bompard told BFMTV that 50 of the company’s outlets had been damaged, including 20 that were looted. Total losses from the destruction were estimated to reach tens of millions of euros.
-AWANI
