Nearly 2,400 Arrested as French Cost Protests Turn Violent

Paris (GNP): France’s interior ministry said on Sunday that 2,397 people were arrested on Saturday during nationwide protests against the high cost of living. The demonstrations turned violent in several cities.

The ministry also confirmed that 997 police officers and gendarmes were injured, seven of them seriously.

Saturday’s rallies brought together trade unions, school students and the Yellow Vests movement, which unsettled the early years of President Emmanuel Macron’s time in office. All three groups were protesting against rising living costs and the prospects facing young people.

Macron addressed the nation on Sunday and condemned what he called “unbridled” violence. He said local authorities would be able to ban certain rallies in the coming days if necessary. He did not announce a state of emergency or a curfew.

The president drew a clear line between protesters with legitimate demands and those who destroyed property and looted shops. He blamed ultra-left fringe groups, joined by many delinquents, and promised that the authorities would show no leniency towards them.

The unrest continued on Sunday in the capital. Police used tear gas and stun grenades on hundreds of people who gathered in a Paris square after calls on social media, a gathering the authorities said had not been approved.

Bottles and rocks were thrown at officers, and 108 arrests were made across the city. At least five shops were looted around Republique square, and the city hall advised many central Paris stores to close after windows were smashed.

The damage was not limited to Paris. In Lyon, police clashed with youths who tried to loot a luxury clothing store, and a tourist office in the city centre was set on fire during the protests.

In Limoges, the 19th-century town hall was destroyed by fire. Local prefect Maurice Barate said the blaze had been started deliberately by what he described as a wild horde.

Two teenagers were seriously hurt. Prosecutors said a 17-year-old girl lost an eye in Mulhouse. In Saint-Etienne, a 17-year-old boy had his right hand blown off by a crowd-control grenade.

Macron said hundreds of businesses had been looted or damaged. He promised that affected firms would receive support, and that top officials would work with mayors to protect cities and public buildings. He also pledged full transparency over how the security forces handled the protests.

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The president has asked Interior Minister Laurent Nunez to draw all necessary lessons, particularly on intelligence gathering and anticipating such unrest. He said he expected clear answers. Some opposition politicians have already called for Nunez to be dismissed.

The violence has landed in the middle of a tense political season. A presidential election is only months away, and Macron cannot stand again.

Far-right National Rally candidate Marine Le Pen, who is leading in the polls, said the events showed the government was exhausted and disoriented. Jean-Luc Melenchon, head of the hard-left France Unbowed party and also a presidential candidate, warned that the country risked heading towards events that could become uncontrollable.

Macron said he wanted the election campaign to be fought through debate with the parties and not through violence in the streets. Describing the mood after the destruction, he said, “Tonight, we all feel anger and shame.”