France Protests: 1,200 Arrested as Buildings Burn
The France protests that drew hundreds of thousands of people into the streets on Saturday over the soaring cost of living spiraled into some of the worst violence the country has seen in decades, with masked mobs looting shops, torching cars and setting buildings ablaze. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said late Saturday that more than 1,200 people had been arrested and over 150 police officers injured.
The unrest began as mass marches in dozens of cities against rising prices, crumbling schools and cuts to public services. The interior ministry said about 550,000 people took part nationwide, while the CGT trade union, which joined the mobilization, put the figure at 800,000.
Streets “Devastated” in Paris
In Paris, tens of thousands marched across the east and north of the capital before violent fringes broke away. Gangs of masked youths roamed city streets, torching parked cars, ransacking luxury boutiques and supermarkets, and attacking police vehicles. Police answered with tear gas and water cannon as protesters threw rocks and fireworks.
Paris Mayor Emmanuel Gregoire said whole streets “have been devastated.” In Saint-Etienne, a 17-year-old protester suffered a severe injury when a crowd-control grenade blew off his right hand.
Limoges Town Hall Lost to Fire
The most striking damage came in the city of Limoges, where the town hall was “largely lost” to a fire set by masked protesters. Local prefect Maurice Barate told the AFP news agency that the roof of the 143-year-old building collapsed onto the lower floors, calling the extensive damage a “catastrophe for heritage.”
Protesters also forced their way into municipal offices in Marseille, while clashes and looting were reported in several other cities. Similar smaller demonstrations over living costs took place in Belgium, Italy and Portugal.
Government Blames “Ultra-Left” for Hijacking the Marches
Prime Minister Lecornu blamed the “ultra-left” and criminals for hijacking the peaceful demonstrations. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said opportunistic delinquents had seized a chance to pillage and loot, and pledged authorities would “find them and deal with them firmly,” while stopping short of declaring a state of emergency.
President Emmanuel Macron declared there was “no room for violence in our Republic” and offered full support to law enforcement. The unrest deepens France’s political uncertainty as the country heads toward elections to replace Macron, with high school and university students protesting for weeks over school conditions and alleged excessive police force.
Source: BBC