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Demonstrations in France against rising living costs, declining public services and education funding turned into riots in several cities across the country on Saturday. Shops and public buildings were damaged in Paris, Marseille and Lyon, among other cities, AnewZ reported.
Damage reported in Paris, Marseille and Lyon
In the capital, a march planned from Place de la République to Place de la Bastille turned into a demonstration that spread across several parts of the city. In some areas, police used tear gas as they retreated in the face of protesters, many of them young people. Some demonstrators wore black and had hoods, masks and glasses to protect themselves from the gas.
Rioting protesters tried to enter the Galeries Lafayette department store, damaged banks, looted a Lacoste store and other boutiques, and entered an SFR mobile phone shop. Various objects, including cars, were set on fire during the day. Authorities closed several metro stations.
In the southern French city of Marseille, black-clad protesters entered the city hall, damaged televisions, knocked over a bust of Marianne, a symbol of France, and spray-painted anarchist graffiti on the building’s walls. No injuries were reported. Mayor Benoît Payan condemned the incident and said the damage was relatively limited.
According to the prefecture, two additional riot police units were sent to the city. A municipal police station was also targeted: windows were smashed and smoke grenades were thrown inside the building.
In Lyon, in east-central France, the tourist office was vandalized and then set on fire. Local media reported that shops in the city were also looted. By 7 p.m. local time on Saturday, 20 people had been detained.
Riots spread to other cities
Clashes also broke out in Lille in the northeast, Toulouse in the southwest and Angers in the west. In Limoges, a historic city hall built in 1873 and spared during both world wars burned to the ground.
French President Emmanuel Macron wrote on social media platform X that there was no place for violence in the republic. He said those who attacked public buildings and businesses would be held accountable.
Reports of injuries among demonstrators prompted criticism of police tactics. Those injured included a teenager whose hand was amputated after he picked up a hand grenade. The body that oversees the police is investigating at least two dozen allegations of police violence.
French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said more than 150 police officers were injured during Saturday’s demonstrations, but did not say whether any protesters had been hurt. Left-wing politician Jean-Luc Mélenchon and Green Party leader Marine Tondelier criticized the police strategy and accused the authorities of escalating the confrontation.
Protests in France began last month at secondary schools in working-class neighborhoods north of Paris. Discontent over teacher shortages and the poor condition of schools later developed into a broader movement focused on inequality, public spending and living standards.
Lecornu said the government would not be “afraid” of Saturday’s violence. He blamed “ultra-left” groups and criminals for the riots, which took place months before next year’s presidential election.
In a post on X, the prime minister wrote: “I say this clearly to those who want to use this violence as a ‘rehearsal’ before the presidential election: we will not allow ourselves to be intimidated. No one can impose a political agenda through violence.”
President Macron is entering the final phase of his term. He faces a fragmented political landscape and mounting economic pressure. France’s efforts to reduce its public debt have failed to reassure investors, and the cost of government borrowing has risen to its highest level in more than two decades.
