By St. Paul’s News Team
France faced a major clean-up operation on Sunday after widespread demonstrations over fuel prices, the cost of living and deteriorating public services descended into violent clashes, arson and looting across several cities.
About 550,000 people took part in Saturday’s demonstrations, most of which were peaceful. However, police arrested approximately 1,800 people as masked groups clashed with officers, set vehicles and buildings ablaze and looted businesses in Paris, Marseille, Lille and other parts of the country.
In Paris, riot police used tear gas and water cannon as protesters confronted officers in several areas. Vehicles were torched, fires were set in the streets and at least one restaurant was gutted.
More than 500 police officers, gendarmes and firefighters were injured, according to France’s Interior Ministry, while the Retail and Trade Federation said approximately 1,500 shops and retail businesses were damaged.
The scale of the destruction became clear Sunday morning as residents and business owners surveyed streets littered with shattered glass, burned vehicles, damaged storefronts and debris.
Designer stores, including Ralph Lauren, Gucci and Versace, were among businesses with smashed windows. Shopkeepers began clearing broken glass while rubbish crews worked to remove debris from major streets.
Graffiti carrying messages such as “tax the rich” and “eat the rich” was also visible on several buildings.
Near the Place de la République, a clothing store was ransacked, leaving merchandise and furniture scattered across the floor. The owner said security footage showed looters inside for more than 90 minutes and claimed that police were not present during the incident.
A nearby bakery had its entire glass frontage destroyed, while a wine shop was stripped of its stock, with bottles either stolen or smashed.
Violence was also reported outside the capital. In Marseille, protesters broke into city hall, while in Lille, police said a McDonald’s was set on fire and an Apple store was looted.
In Lyon, the city’s tourist office was burned, an incident Mayor Grégory Doucet described as a tragedy because of the building’s historical significance. In Limoges, a fire at the town hall caused part of the building to collapse, with local officials saying the structure was largely destroyed.
The unrest comes amid weeks of student-led demonstrations calling for greater investment in education. Protesters have raised concerns about teacher shortages, overcrowded classrooms and deteriorating school facilities.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said peaceful protest remained a fundamental right but condemned what he described as violent actions by thousands of far-left activists and criminals who exploited the demonstrations to attack police and businesses.
Authorities also reported damage in Grenoble, Avignon, Pau, Montpellier, Valence, Rennes, Toulouse and Angers.
The government now faces pressure to address the grievances driving the demonstrations while restoring order and preventing further violence and destruction.
