Mass looting hits Paris as protests turn violent

Mass looting gripped Paris on Saturday as migrant crowds smashed shop windows and stole goods, facing no police resistance, amid nationwide protests over the cost of living that turned violent. The unrest unfolded as hundreds of thousands demonstrated across France, with 1,200 arrests and 150 officers injured, according to Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu, who condemned the "extreme intensity" violence. Looters targeted cigarettes, jewellery and food, while police used tear gas elsewhere. Paris mayor Emmanuel Gregoire distinguished legitimate protest from "unacceptable" violence, noting whole streets were devastated. Some residents expressed sympathy for looters' anger over integration, though others said the destruction undermined their cause, as restaurants and homes were largely spared.