Paris court holds dozens of trials after October 17 riots

Dozens of immediate appearance trials are being held Tuesday at the Paris judicial court following Saturday's riots, with proceedings marked by tension and organizational chaos. The court is operating in crisis mode with four courtrooms to handle around 60 cases in a single afternoon. Paris accounted for 35% of France's 2,400 arrests on October 17, and the judicial system is under pressure from Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin's demands for firmness. Lawyers have denounced political interference, while some defendants have received jail sentences, including a 20-year-old with a knife and a 19-year-old who threw projectiles at police. Other cases show inconsistent outcomes, with some defendants released under judicial supervision despite prosecution requests for detention. A man accused of looting designer shoes claims police beat him and threatened to blame him for all scattered merchandise, while another defendant with 14 looting videos on his phone faces a two-year sentence request.