French protests: 1,200 arrested, town hall burned in nationwide unrest

Protests across France on Saturday resulted in approximately 1,200 arrests and 150 injured police officers, according to Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, as hundreds of thousands demonstrated against the cost of living and fiscal austerity. The government counted about 550,000 participants in 110 marches nationwide, while the CGT union estimated over 800,000. In Paris, more than 100,000 people marched, with clashes involving tear gas, water cannons, and fires. The historic town hall in Limoges was set ablaze, causing significant damage, and other municipal buildings were attacked in Marseille, Lyon, Bordeaux, and Lille. The protests occurred as the government seeks to pass a 2027 budget with a €54 billion fiscal adjustment. President Emmanuel Macron vowed to prosecute those responsible for violence, accusing "sowers of chaos" of attempting to bring down institutions.