More than half a million people it took to the streets throughout France on Saturday, October 17, at protests over the rising cost of living, poor conditions in schools and dissatisfaction with the policies of President Emmanuel Macron's government. Demonstrations, in which pupils and students were joined by trade unions and members of the "Yellow Vest" movement, turned into clashes with the police, burning of buildings and looting of shops in some cities.
French Prime Minister Sรฉbastien Lecorny said that 1.200 people were arrested and about 150 policemen and gendarmes were injured in the riots across France, and President Emmanuel Macron said that there is no place for violence in that country.
Numerous photos and videos on social media show destroyed shops, burned vehicles and streets covered in debris. Many business premises were destroyed, and some shops were almost completely emptied.
French President Emmanuel Macron said that those who attacked, vandalized and looted on Saturday will be prosecuted and punished.
"To the police, the guarantors of the right to protest, I express the support of the nation. We will all fight unitedly against those who sow chaos, who only want to destroy our institutions and prevent those who peacefully express their demands from doing so," Macron wrote on the X network.
In Paris, according to the police announcement, 855 people were arrested during Saturday's riots. Police said unusually large organized groups, from 500 to more than 1.000 people, participated in the violence.
This morning, the Paris city authorities openly criticized the police action, and the first deputy mayor, Lamia El Araz, warned of the lack of police forces to prevent looting and destruction.
The mayors of Paris, Marseille and Lyon have requested a meeting with Lecorny to discuss the aftermath of the riots and the state's response.
Protests due to living standards and conditions in schools
Dissatisfaction had been building for months, and the protests initially began as student revolts over teacher shortages, overcrowded classrooms and the poor condition of school buildings. The movement has spread to wider social problems, including rising prices, economic inequality and the perception that the government is not responding to citizens' demands.
The protests were joined by trade unions, among them the CGT, as well as activists of the former "Yellow Vest" movement, which in 2018 launched mass demonstrations due to an increase in fuel taxes, and then expanded the demands to the cost of living and social inequality.
Demonstrators criticized the concentration of wealth and political power, as well as the influence of billionaires on the media. Part of the participants called for the resignation of Macron, whose second presidential term ends in 2027.
Burning of public buildings and looting of shops
The violence escalated during the evening. In Limoges, a fire broke out in the town hall, a historic building more than 140 years old. A tourist information center was set on fire in Lyon, while protesters stormed the city hall in Lille and vandalized the premises.
Numerous stores were looted in Paris and other cities, including supermarkets, pharmacies, and clothing and electronics stores. The police intervened with tear gas and water cannons.
French Prime Minister Sรฉbastien Lecourny announced late Saturday that around 1.200 people had been detained and 150 police officers had been injured. These data represent the later balance, after the Ministry of Internal Affairs previously reported about 400 apprehensions.
President Macron said that those responsible for vandalism, attacks on public institutions and robberies will be prosecuted and punished.
Injured seventeen-year-old, criticism of the police continues
During a demonstration in Saint-Etienne, a city southwest of Lyon, a 17-year-old protester lost his right hand. According to French media reports, the injury was linked to the explosion of a police crowd control grenade.
It is the second such case during the current wave of student protests. Earlier this month, a student in Lance lost his hand after allegedly picking up a grenade. That incident led to a temporary ban on the use of one type of police grenade, which has since been lifted. The use of police force to break up the demonstrations drew criticism and raised questions about the handling of the security forces.
Although violent incidents have marked protests in several cities, French authorities and the media report that most of the demonstrations were peaceful. Government representatives attributed the responsibility for the riots to radical left-wing groups and criminals, while the organizers emphasized broader social and political reasons for dissatisfaction.
The protests spread beyond France: youth activists organized solidarity demonstrations in Belgium, Albania and Italy.
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