France will not let itself be intimidated by violence, Prime Minister Sebastien Le Corneille said after protests that erupted in several cities with clashes between demonstrators and police. “We will not let ourselves be intimidated. No one will impose their political agenda through violence”, he said.
In Paris, cars were set on fire, shops were looted and businesses were damaged. Police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse groups of protesters. 272 people had been arrested by afternoon, the French Interior Ministry said.
Unrest was also reported in Marseille, Toulouse, Angers and Lyon. In Lyon, the tourist office was set on fire, and in Marseille, the town hall was damaged. According to the interior ministry, there were clashes with the police, robberies or attempted robberies, and attacks on public buildings.
The authorities accused far-left groups of being behind the violence. Protesters said the majority of participants had demonstrated peacefully and that the unrest was caused by groups seeking to clash with the police.
Government defends police actions
Lecornu said that the police had received clear instructions to prevent attacks, protect people and property, and apprehend perpetrators. He also said that more than 900 police officers had been injured in previous protests.
At the same time, the actions of the police were being reviewed. The police watchdog is investigating at least two dozen reports of violence against demonstrators. Criticism has intensified after cases of serious injuries to students during the protests.
The wave of demonstrations began in schools over a shortage of teachers, poor building conditions and dissatisfaction with the busy curriculum. Gradually, the protests expanded to topics such as the rising cost of living, fuel prices, public services and inequality. They included schoolchildren, university students and supporters of the “yellow vest“ movement.
The prime minister announced that the government would continue discussing the “vandals pay“ bill, which provides that the perpetrators of destruction will bear the costs of repairing the damage. Lecornu warned that public funds should be used to finance public services, not to permanently restore damaged property.
Sources: marketscreener.com, apnews.com, skai.gr