French police arrest 1,800 as protests turn violent across France

French police arrested at least 1,800 people after violent clashes and looting during nationwide protests over living costs and school conditions, with fires set at public buildings including Limoges' 19th-century City Hall. Authorities reported about 550,000 protesters nationwide, with over 500 police and firefighters injured and one death from a heart attack. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez condemned the violence, while Paris alone saw 855 arrests and widespread damage to shops and monuments. President Emmanuel Macron scheduled an emergency meeting and national address, while political leaders traded blame ahead of spring elections. Far-right figures cited immigration, though police attributed violence to radical left groups and looters, and Paris officials launched an emergency unit to assess unprecedented damage.