France reels after cost-of-living protests spiral into nationwide riots

rtbf.be (French) —

France woke up stunned Sunday after a day of protests against the high cost of living descended into widespread chaos, with riots more intense than the 2023 unrest or the 2018-2019 "yellow vest" movement, according to AFP reporters. Police made a record 855 arrests in Paris on Saturday, with 13 officers and two firefighters injured. Violent groups of 500 to over 1,000 people targeted hundreds of institutions and shops, leaving streets littered with debris and burned vehicles. The mayor's office in Limoges was largely destroyed by fire, while town halls in Marseille, Lille, Angers, and Bordeaux were vandalized. Nationally, 1,200 people were arrested and 150 officers injured. President Emmanuel Macron vowed to punish the "sowers of chaos," while Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu urged the left-wing party La France Insoumise to choose between the Republic and the rioters. With presidential elections six months away, the unrest has intensified political clashes between Marine Le Pen and Jean-Luc Mélenchon.


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