Macron vows action after nationwide riots, stops short of emergency measures

French President Emmanuel Macron expressed "anger and shame" over nationwide rioting and looting, vowing that perpetrators will "pay for their crimes" while stopping short of declaring a state of emergency or curfew. Nearly 2,400 people were arrested on Saturday, with about 1,000 police and gendarmes injured, according to the Interior Ministry. Macron distinguished between protesters with "legitimate demands" and those who "destroyed, smashed, and looted," pledging a crisis unit for urgent aid and to learn lessons from the violence. The unrest has become a political issue ahead of next year's presidential elections, with left-wing candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon blaming the government for failing to maintain public order, while far-right hopeful Jordan Bardella called Macron's speech "lamentable" and "cowardly."