French Riots: Who Are the Protesters?

French police have arrested approximately 2,500 people amid ongoing protests and riots, including a suspected arsonist of the Limoges town hall. Authorities have imposed curfews and demonstration bans in several cities to control the unrest. The first suspect was detained Tuesday by the RAID elite police unit, identified by French media as a 40-year-old known left-wing extremist on a security watchlist. Left-wing and anarchist groups have been linked to the riots, with demonstrators marking buildings with anarchist symbols and anti-police slogans. Analysts say the rioters also included many looters and youths from economically disadvantaged urban zones, which have high unemployment and crime. Right-wing populists and the US government have framed the protests as a "migrant uprising," though statistics show most detainees were French citizens. New demonstrations are planned for Saturday, with the government promising a massive police and military presence.