French President Emmanuel Macron said that the participants in the violence during the protests in France will be prosecuted and punished. He condemned the attacks on government buildings, shops and town halls and expressed support for the police.
“There is no place for violence in our republic“, Macron wrote on the social network X. According to him, those responsible for the destruction, attacks on prefectures and commercial establishments, as well as the looting of town halls will be sought.
The president called on the French to unite against those who “sow chaos“ and seek to undermine state institutions. He stressed that the right to peaceful protest must be guaranteed, but violence and looting will not be tolerated.
About 400 detained after protests
The riots broke out during demonstrations against the rising cost of living and poor conditions in schools. Interior Minister Laurent Nunes reported that about 400 people had been detained across the country.
According to Nunes, 110 marches were held with approximately 550,000 participants. Organizers, including the SJT union and student organizations, estimated the number of demonstrators at about 800,000.
In Paris, police used tear gas and water cannons against participants who threw pyrotechnics, paving stones and other objects. Cars and containers were set on fire, and several shops were looted. Some metro stations near the Champs-Élysées, the presidential palace, parliament and government buildings were closed at the request of the police.
Attacks on buildings in several cities
In Lyon, where about 20,000 people took part in the march, a fire broke out at a tourist office. In Marseille, shops and a municipal police station were damaged, and protesters briefly entered the lobby of the town hall.
In Limoges, the town hall was set on fire. French authorities also reported attacks on local administrative buildings in Bordeaux, attempts to break into the town halls of Lille and Calais, and an attack on a police station in Brest. Violence was also recorded in Rennes, Toulouse, Montpellier and Grenoble.
The protests are supported by student movements, which have been organizing blockades since mid-September, as well as by the SJT. Protesters are demanding higher wages and pensions, lower prices and better-funded public services.
Authorities have launched an investigation after a young protester was seriously injured in Saint-Etienne. Nunes did not confirm reports in French media that the incident was caused by a police grenade. The use of grenades and other riot control devices has come under increased public scrutiny amid the protests.
Sources: apnews.com