France was engulfed in violent clashes, looting and fires on Saturday during the latest day of protests against education standards and the cost of living. At least 1,200 people were arrested, with the French government describing the events as "an escalation of violence". Around 550,000 people took to the streets, according to estimates.
Significant clashes with police continued in Paris into the evening, with police using tear gas and water cannons against crowds. Buildings were set alight in the capital and other areas, with looting breaking out in several cities. Widespread vandalism was recorded, targeting town halls and commercial premises. In Limoges, a large fire in the town hall led to the partial collapse of the roof, with firefighters battling the blaze. The local prefecture stated that the fire had caused the collapse of part of the building.
Sixty members of the security forces were injured, with two taken to hospital in an unconscious state, according to the interior minister Laurent Nuñez. In Paris, the main march appeared largely peaceful in the afternoon, but as the day progressed, some groups set fires in the streets and burned vehicles, including iconic locations in the city centre such as Place de la République. Shops were looted, and at least one restaurant was destroyed by fire. Journalists witnessed clashes between some groups, while riot police charged one group in central Paris and struck several individuals with batons.
In Lyon, Mayor Grégory Doucet told BFMTV that the burning of the city's tourist office was a "tragedy" for the city and that it "breaks our hearts because it is a very iconic, well-known historical building". Local police stated that "hostile individuals" prevented firefighters from safely extinguishing the fire. In Saint-Étienne, a young man "lost his hand to a grenade", Mayor Régis Juanico said on social media, adding that "such a tragedy should never have happened".
The Ministry of the Interior stated that the protests included "targeted acts of violence" by "masked individuals" in certain locations, including parts of the capital as well as Marseille, Rennes, Toulouse and Angers. Damage to buildings was reported across France, including in Grenoble, Avignon, Pau, Montpellier and Valence. In Paris, clothing and food shops were looted, and an Apple store in Lille was broken into and emptied. Footage verified by BBC Verify showed a tourist train in Grenoble being driven by masked men down a narrow street in the city centre towards at least three members of the riot police.
Hundreds of thousands of students have been protesting in recent weeks over staff shortages and dilapidated facilities in state secondary schools, lycées attended by students aged 15 to 18. On Saturday, students were joined by trade union members and other protest groups, including the "yellow vests" (gilets jaunes) movement, which has been protesting against rising living costs since 2018, becoming one of the longest-lasting protest movements in French history.
French President Emmanuel Macron stated: "Those who have broken in, attacked prefectures and commercial premises, looted even our town halls, will be prosecuted and punished." The president will leave office next year, and polls suggest that the April presidential election could come down to a contest between National Rally leader Marine Le Pen and Jean-Luc Mélenchon of the far-left La France Insoumise party. Mélenchon participated in the protests, later accusing police of having "lost control" over protesters, while simultaneously condemning the looting and arson. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu described Mélenchon's comments as "dangerous and cynical". Lecornu had previously said that police faced "violence of extreme intensity" and that some groups were using the protests as a "warm-up" for the presidential elections, stating: "No one will impose their political programme through violence." Marine Le Pen stated that the legitimate demands of protesters had been "taken hostage by the far-left" and accused Mélenchon of inciting violence. Education Minister Édouard Geffray promised 3,000 additional teachers during a television interview on 8 October, but the protests continued and intensified.
