Riots Rattle France Months Before Election as Macron Vows Crackdown, Trump Blames Immigration
Paris – A wave of protests over rising prices and struggling schools turned destructive this weekend. France is now tallying burned public buildings, ransacked shops and thousands of arrests.
Officials put Saturday’s turnout at roughly 550,000, while organizers claimed 800,000. What started as peaceful marches gave way to arson, looting and assaults on public property. In Limoges, a blaze gutted the 19th-century city hall and brought its roof down. In Marseille, a crowd pushed into the town hall lobby, and a tourist office in Lyon caught fire. The interior minister said hundreds of businesses were looted nationwide.
At least 2,400 people were arrested. One person died of a heart attack, and prosecutors are looking into the death. Investigators are also examining two serious injuries, a protester who lost a hand and a teenage girl who lost an eye, while police tactics face fresh scrutiny.
President Emmanuel Macron said the country was angry and ashamed. He pinned the worst violence on radical far-left groups and opportunistic criminals, and said looters would be made to pay for the damage. He also told regional prefects to coordinate with mayors on protecting buildings and shops, and said protests could be banned where needed.
The turmoil has quickly entered the race for next spring’s presidential election. Far-right leader Marine Le Pen described the government as exhausted and helpless, while hard-left candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon warned the prime minister was gambling with fire. Melenchon, who marched in Paris, said looters were not part of his movement.
From Washington, President Donald Trump described the unrest as a revolution fueled by immigration and urged France to tighten its borders. French authorities and police, however, have not tied immigrants to the rioting.
Photo Courtesy: Reuters