France jails 217 in fast-track riot trials, minister says

French courts have jailed 217 people in fast-track trials linked to last weekend's rioting, Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin said Thursday, hailing the judiciary's "extremely firm" response. He reported 2,700 detentions since Saturday, with over 1,000 appearing in court. Darmanin said half of the 217 imprisoned had no criminal record, typically men aged 18 to 25. He vowed expedited trials to clear the backlog and deter further unrest, though lawyers criticized the rapid process as repressive. New protests over rising living costs are planned this weekend. France's prisons hold 90,020 inmates against a capacity of 63,348, a record high, with Darmanin arguing the solution is more prison space, not fewer imprisonments.