French President Emmanuel Macron has vowed to hold rioters accountable for looting and attacks on public buildings as nationwide protests over rising living costs and poor school conditions result in at least 1,800 arrests.
In a televised address on Sunday, Macron condemned the violence, insisting that those responsible for damaging public property and attacking state institutions would face consequences.
“Those who looted will have to pay back for the damage, and those who sought to bring down the Republic will be held accountable,” he said.
The president acknowledged public anger and frustration but blamed the unrest on radical left-wing groups and criminal elements. His remarks followed an emergency meeting with senior government officials after masked demonstrators set fires and attacked public buildings in several cities.
One of the most serious incidents occurred in Limoges, central France, where a fire engulfed the historic 19th-century town hall, causing its roof to collapse and leaving the building close to destruction.
Macron said he had directed local authorities to work with mayors to protect public buildings and businesses, adding that demonstrations could be banned where necessary to prevent further violence.
Protests also continued in Paris on Sunday, where hundreds gathered at Place de la République under heavy police deployment. Officers fired tear gas as tensions escalated, with some demonstrators attempting to set bicycles and rubbish bins on fire.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez defended peaceful demonstrations as a fundamental right but condemned violence and looting. He said businesses in Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Bordeaux were among those targeted.
Authorities estimated that approximately 550,000 people participated in demonstrations nationwide, while organisers put attendance at around 800,000.
The protests followed calls by labour unions, student groups and activists seeking to revive the Yellow Vest movement, which emerged in 2018 to challenge economic inequality and social injustice.
France has witnessed repeated waves of mass protests in recent years, some of which have resulted in clashes between demonstrators and police. The latest arrests approach the nearly 2,000 detentions recorded during a single day of Yellow Vest demonstrations in December 2018.
Meanwhile, Paris police reported that one person died of a heart attack during the unrest. The circumstances surrounding the death were not immediately disclosed, although the Paris prosecutor’s office confirmed that an investigation was underway.
