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Violent clashes, looting and arson erupted across France on Saturday as protests over deteriorating school conditions and the rising cost of living intensified, with the government reporting at least 1,200 arrests.
An estimated 550,000 people took to the streets nationwide. In Paris, protesters clashed with riot police until the evening, prompting officers to use tear gas and water cannon to disperse crowds.
Buildings were set on fire in several areas, including the city hall in Limoges, where part of the roof collapsed. Looting and vandalism were also reported in multiple cities, with municipal buildings and businesses among the targets.
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said around 150 police officers had been injured in the violence.
The main march in Paris was largely peaceful in the afternoon. Some young demonstrators told the BBC they were pacifists trying to bring about change but felt that nothing was progressing.
As the day wore on, however, fires were set in streets and vehicles were torched, including near the capital’s prominent Place de la République. Shops were smashed and looted, at least one restaurant was completely gutted by fire, and the BBC witnessed clashes between different groups.
Riot police were also seen charging towards a group of protesters in central Paris and striking several people with batons.
In Lyon, Mayor Grégory Doucet described a fire at the city’s tourist office building as “a tragedy”, saying the historic and well-known structure held great significance for the city.
Local police said “hostile individuals” had obstructed firefighters from safely tackling blazes. Firefighters also worked to extinguish the fire at Limoges city hall, where local authorities confirmed that part of the building had collapsed.
In the southeastern city of Saint-Étienne, Mayor Régis Juanico said on social media that a young man had lost a hand in a grenade explosion. He described the incident as a tragedy that should never have happened.
France’s Interior Ministry said masked individuals had carried out what it called “planned acts of violence” in Marseille, Rennes, Toulouse and Angers, as well as in parts of Paris. Damage to buildings was reported in Grenoble, Avignon, Pau, Montpellier and Valence.
In Paris, clothing and food shops were looted, while an Apple store in Lille was broken into and emptied. A video verified by BBC Verify appeared to show masked individuals driving a tourist train through a narrow street in central Grenoble towards at least three riot police officers.
The protests follow weeks of demonstrations by thousands of students over staff shortages and deteriorating infrastructure in secondary schools known as lycées, which serve students aged 15 to 18. Trade union members and other protest groups, including supporters of the Yellow Vest movement, joined Saturday’s demonstrations.
The Yellow Vest movement staged some of France’s longest-running protests from 2018, initially opposing rising living costs.
The unrest comes amid deep political uncertainty ahead of next year’s presidential election. President Emmanuel Macron is due to leave office next year, while opinion polls have suggested a potential contest involving Marine Le Pen of the far-right National Rally and Jean-Luc Mélenchon of the left-wing La France Insoumise.
Mélenchon joined the protests and accused police of aggressively targeting demonstrators, while also condemning looting and arson. Lecornu called his remarks “dangerous and hypocritical”, saying police had faced an extremely high level of violence and accusing some groups of using the demonstrations to prepare for the presidential election.
“Nobody will be able to impose their political agenda through violence,” the prime minister said.
Le Pen argued that the far left had hijacked protesters’ legitimate demands and blamed Mélenchon for encouraging violence. Macron vowed that those responsible for vandalism and attacks on public institutions and businesses would face justice and punishment.
The government has announced some measures to address protesters’ concerns. In a televised interview on October 8, Education Minister Édouard Geffray pledged to recruit an additional 3,000 temporary teachers. However, the demonstrations have continued and intensified.
