Macron vows punishment for rioters as French unrest spreads

French President Emmanuel Macron condemned recent violent protests, calling the destruction "shameful" and vowing that perpetrators will face justice. He announced potential bans on certain gatherings and financial aid for affected shopkeepers. The unrest has resulted in 800,000 protesters, 2,000 arrests, 600 injured police officers, and 1,500 destroyed shops. Violence continued in Paris, Lyon, Marseille, and Nantes, with new incidents in previously unaffected cities like Mulhouse. Macron's address drew criticism from far-right figures who called it empty rhetoric. Questions are rising about possible "hybrid coordination" behind simultaneous protests across EU countries, including Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Albania, six months before France's presidential election.