France arrests 1,800 as protests over living costs turn violent

More than 1,800 people were arrested in France after nationwide protests against rising living costs turned violent, leaving streets and buildings devastated across the country. At least 550,000 demonstrators participated on Saturday, with violent fringe groups setting fires, looting businesses, and attacking police. One protester died from cardiac arrest in Paris, where a record 855 arrests were made. Hundreds of police and firefighters were injured. French President Emmanuel Macron scheduled an emergency meeting and national address for Sunday. Officials blamed radical far-left groups for the orchestrated violence, which included burning a historic town hall in Limoges. The protests began last month over school conditions before expanding into a broader movement against inequality.