In brief
On Saturday, protests in France swelled to more than half a million, with demonstrations against high living costs and education cuts devolving into violent clashes. Around 400 people were detained while police used tear gas, water cannons and batons to quell outbreaks. Fires destroyed Lyon’s tourism office, buildings in Limoges and the town hall in Saint‑Étienne. Schools and businesses across the country were vandalised and looted, and several officers were injured as violence spilled over into Paris, Marseille and other cities. The unrest comes as the nation faces an impending presidential election that may see the National Rally and left‑wing parties vying for power.
Mass protests across France erupted into violent clashes on Saturday, with the police force dispatching tear gas, water cannons and batons to control crowds.
At least 400 activists were arrested and 550,000 people took to the streets, demanding relief from a soaring cost of living and a national education crisis that has left many secondary schools in disrepair.
In Paris, the riot police stood their ground as protesters ignited the city’s tourism office in Lyon, set fire to the town hall in Limoges and stormed several city halls. Fire crews were hindered by hostile crowds that prevented them from safely extinguishing the blaze.
The violence spilled into several other cities – Marseille, Rennes, Toulouse, Angers – where looters vandalised shops, restaurants and an Apple store in Lille. In Saint‑Étienne, a protester sustained a hand injury after a grenade burst, and the mayor described the incident as a tragedy.
The clash left sixty police officers injured, two of whom were transported to the hospital in an unconscious state, according to Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez.
President Emmanuel Macron demanded that those responsible for “breaking, attacking prefectures and businesses” be prosecuted, while Education Minister Édouard Geffray pledged an extra 3,000 supply teachers in a televised address.
The unrest has intensified ahead of the 2027 presidential election, when the prospect of a vote between Marine Le Pen and Jean‑Luc Mélenchon looms over the nation.
Political leaders have warned that the protests could be weaponised for electoral purposes, with the far‑right claiming that the left was fuelling the violence, while the left’s representatives accused the police of excessive aggression.
For now, French authorities continue to enforce a tight security regime across major cities, with rapid‑response riot police roving streets and combing for instigators of the day’s tumult.
