Over 2,000 arrested after protests in France, interior minister blamed far-left
French police arrested over 2,000 people following Saturday demonstrations against the cost of living. During the unrest, over 1,500 shops were damaged and more than 600 police officers were injured.
More than 2,000 arrested after French protests, town hall burns in Limoges
French police on Sunday arrested over 2,000 people in connection with violence that accompanied Saturday demonstrations against high cost of living. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez announced this on the X network, also stating that more than 600 police officers and firefighters were injured. He made no mention of the number of injured demonstrators, Czech News reports.
Paris itself recorded a record 855 arrests. The Paris prosecutor's office clarified on Sunday that 517 people remained in custody — of which 346 were adults and 171 were minors. These people are being detained on suspicion of, among other things, possession of stolen goods, preparation of violent acts, or vandalism. The prosecutor's office also did not rule out that the figures could change.
Violence attributed to far-left
Nuñez explicitly blamed far-left supporters for the disturbances, saying they attacked public buildings and security forces. "Demonstrations are a fundamental right. Inciting unrest through violence and coordinated actions are not," the minister stated. He added that the attacks were subsequently joined by offenders who ransacked and destroyed shops in Paris, Marseille, Lyon, Bordeaux, Rennes, Strasbourg, Grenoble, Nice, Limoges and other cities.
During the protests, approximately 1,500 shops were damaged, with many of them ransacked. Alexandre Bompard of the Retail and Commerce Federation estimated that the damage caused to these businesses amounted to several hundred million euros. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu therefore convened an inter-ministerial crisis meeting for Sunday evening focused on the economic impact of the vandalism.
Fire destroys historic town hall in Limoges
The most severe material damage occurred in Limoges in south-western France, where fire devastated the historic seat of the town hall. Local authorities announced on Monday morning that the fire had been brought under control. Prefect Maurice Barate stated that "the fire was deliberately set" and described it as "the result of a deliberate act by vandals". He had previously warned that the 19th-century building was largely lost — part of the roof and the town hall tower had collapsed. Masked rioters also broke into town hall buildings in Marseille, Lille and Angers, but caused less damage there.
The Association of French Mayors (AMF) called for protest gatherings in defence of democratic institutions. These are to be held from Monday noon outside town halls throughout the country.
One demonstrator died, seventeen-year-old boy's hand torn off by grenade
One participant died during the demonstrations in Paris. According to France 24 and RTL, he succumbed to sudden cardiac and respiratory arrest; police stated that his death was unrelated to security force intervention or direct clashes. Regarding the total number of injured demonstrators, no estimates are yet available, France 24 noted. The station also recalled that a police stun grenade tore off the hand of a seventeen-year-old boy in the city of Saint-Étienne.
Police deployed tear gas and water cannons during clashes in Paris, Lyon, Bordeaux, Lille and Marseille throughout Saturday. In Lyon, the local tourist centre was on fire. Media from Paris and Marseille reported looting of luxury boutiques and supermarkets.
Tense social climate and presidential address
On Saturday, hundreds of thousands of people participated in demonstrations across France, with most protests proceeding peacefully. On Sunday, roughly a thousand people gathered at Paris's Place de la République, where Saturday's march had begun, and several hundred gathered in Rennes. Both gatherings took place without major police intervention.
President Emmanuel Macron planned to discuss events with members of the government on Sunday evening and address the nation at 20:00, according to the Le Figaro website.
France has been experiencing increased social tensions in recent weeks. The situation is being exacerbated by demonstrations by secondary school students criticising school conditions, but also by rising inflation linked, among other things, to fuel price increases as a result of the US war against Iran. The government is also preparing next year's budget with the aim of reducing the deficit, to which it is being pressured by rising yields on French government bonds. Achieving this goal will likely require spending cuts or tax increases.
Source: České noviny