Macron condemns violence as France counts cost of protests

French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the "unbridled" violence during cost-of-living protests, as nearly 2,400 people were arrested in some of France's worst urban unrest in years. He expressed national "anger and shame" over the devastation, which included burned town halls and looted businesses. The interior ministry reported almost 1,000 police and gendarmes injured, seven seriously, during Saturday's clashes. Macron vowed to be "uncompromising" toward agitators from ultra-left groups and delinquents, while distinguishing them from protesters with "legitimate demands." He stopped short of declaring a state of emergency or curfew. The unrest occurred months before a presidential election, with far-right candidate Marine Le Pen and hard-left Jean-Luc Melenchon criticizing Macron's administration. US President Donald Trump blamed immigration for the violence, while Macron asked Interior Minister Laurent Nunez to draw lessons from the intelligence failures.