Marseille rioters attack police station and city hall; mayor demands reinforcements

Thousands of rioters in Marseille attacked the central police station and city hall during a protest against the high cost of living, leading Mayor Benoît Payan to demand accountability and denounce a lack of police resources. Payan stated he had to call the president and ministers for reinforcements, noting only one CRS company was initially deployed for France's second-largest city. The prefect reported 7,000 to 8,000 rioters, 29 injured officers, and 30 to 40 looted shops. Protesters forced entry into city hall, toppling a bust of Marianne, while the prefect acknowledged the situation was not yet under control, with fires and an attempted looting of a gun store.