France counts damage after October 17 protests turn violent in Paris, Marseille, Lyon, and Limoges

France is assessing widespread damage after October 17 protests against the high cost of living descended into violence and looting across multiple cities, overshadowing the mobilization just six months before the presidential election. Authorities reported 1,200 arrests and 150 police officers injured, while rioters targeted town halls, prefectures, and shops in Paris, Marseille, Lyon, and Limoges, where a 19th-century city hall was largely destroyed. President Emmanuel Macron vowed to punish those responsible, and Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu called the lack of a heavier toll a "miracle." The unrest, described by reporters as more intense than the 2023 riots or the 2018-2019 "yellow vest" protests, has intensified political clashes between far-left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon and far-right candidate Marine Le Pen ahead of the election. US Vice President JD Vance attributed the violence to immigration and assimilation issues.