French President Emmanuel Macron has called for “calm and order” after widespread protests over rising fuel prices, the cost of living and deteriorating public services escalated into riots and looting across several French cities.
In a national address from the Élysée Palace on Saturday, Macron urged protesters and rioters not to escalate the violence, saying the country was experiencing anger and shame over the destruction.
“We all feel anger and shame,” he said, while distinguishing between the “legitimate demands” of protesters and those who engaged in destruction, vandalism and looting.
According to France’s Interior Ministry, police arrested about 2,400 people following the unrest.
Macron condemned the violence, insisting that “nothing justifies” the destruction and warning that those responsible would face justice.
About 550,000 demonstrators took to the streets during the protests, which were largely peaceful before violence erupted in several locations. Groups of rioters, some dressed in black and wearing masks and balaclavas, set fire to cars and buildings and attacked businesses in Paris, Marseille, Lille and other cities.
Disorder continued on a smaller scale in parts of Paris and Lyon on Sunday, with clashes between demonstrators and police. According to the AFP news agency, security forces fired tear gas and stun grenades at crowds in Paris, while protesters threw bottles and rocks at officers.
The unrest also caused extensive damage to public buildings and businesses. In Limoges, a fire started by rioters gutted the city hall, a 19th-century building, causing its clock tower and roof to collapse.
Reacting to the destruction, a resident identified as Annèyse said damaging historic buildings out of anger against the government was selfish and hurt the wider community.
Another resident, identified as Gerrard, described the scene as “awful and unbelievable”, expressing concern that restoring the building to its former condition would take considerable time.
In Paris, shopkeepers were seen clearing broken glass from their premises early on Sunday as rubbish trucks removed debris from major streets. Widespread looting was also reported in Marseille, Lille and other parts of the country.
Macron said local prefects and mayors would develop measures to protect shops and public buildings. He also promised “full transparency” over the police response to the demonstrations.
Security forces deployed tear gas and water cannon during the unrest, while riot police were seen striking people with batons in several locations.
France’s Interior Ministry said about 1,000 police officers were injured on Saturday, including seven who sustained serious injuries.
The protests, which began with student demonstrations last month, intensified on Saturday after trade union members and other anti-government groups joined the movement.
The unrest has also exposed deep political divisions in France as the country prepares for an election in April, with political parties on the far-right and far-left presenting sharply different interpretations of the crisis.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said demonstrating was a fundamental right but accused several thousand far-left activists of deliberately targeting public buildings and confronting police officers.
He added that criminal groups later joined the unrest, looting and ransacking businesses in several cities.
Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader of the hard-left La France Insoumise party, criticised Nuñez and police chiefs on social media, accusing them of mishandling the demonstrations and describing them as “specialists in organised chaos”.
Meanwhile, Marine Le Pen, leader of the hard-right National Rally party, condemned what she described as the exploitation of public anger by political forces encouraging violence.
The French government now faces mounting pressure to restore order, protect public property and address protesters’ grievances over the cost of living and deteriorating public services.