French cost-of-living protests lead to 1,200 arrests and one injury

Hundreds of thousands protested in France on Saturday against the high cost of living, resulting in 1,200 arrests and one protester losing a hand, with riots and looting occurring in major cities six months before the presidential election. President Emmanuel Macron vowed to punish those who attacked town halls and shops. The protests, called "Amarelos e Jóvenes," united yellow vests, Gen Z youth, farmers, teachers, and retirees, drawing between 550,000 and 800,000 people. In Paris, cars were burned and stores looted, while authorities reported 150 police and gendarmes injured. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu accused the radical left party France Insoumise of orchestrating the unrest, a claim the party's leader, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, denied. The violence recalled the 2018-2019 yellow vest movement, which began over a fuel tax increase. A protester in Saint-Étienne lost a hand due to a grenade explosion, prompting scrutiny of police tactics. The protests occur amid rising fuel prices linked to the Middle East war and as the government seeks a €54 billion fiscal adjustment for the 2027 budget.