Macron condemns violence after protests and clashes across France

French President Emmanuel Macron condemned violence across France on October 18, calling for calm after demonstrations descended into clashes, fires and looting in Paris and other cities. Nearly 2,400 people were arrested during the October 17 unrest, and almost 1,000 police officers and gendarmes were injured, seven seriously.²³⁵⁶

Protests and the response

Macron said “nothing justifies the unbridled violence seen” and sought to distinguish demonstrators raising legitimate grievances from those responsible for destruction and theft. He promised a tough response against those involved in the violence, alongside transparency about how authorities had prepared for the demonstrations.¹²⁶

According to the BBC, the protests concerned fuel prices, living costs and worsening public services. The broadcaster reported that student demonstrations had begun the previous month before escalating on Saturday. NPR described a movement that began with students seeking better conditions and widened to include public-sector workers protesting energy costs and social inequality.²⁴

The Interior Ministry estimated attendance at 550,000 nationwide, including 110,000 in Paris, according to Deutsche Welle. The BBC described the demonstrations as largely peaceful. AFP reported that unions, school students and the Yellow Vests movement participated, with grievances encompassing living costs and prospects for young people.¹²³

Damage and injuries

In Paris, police used tear gas and stun grenades against hundreds of people gathered at Place de la Republique, AFP reported. At least five shops around the square were looted, while windows were broken at other shops in central Paris. In Lyon, police confronted youths attempting to loot a luxury clothing shop.³⁵

Fire damaged Limoges town hall, where local prefect Maurice Barate said the blaze had been started deliberately. A tourist office in central Lyon was also set alight, according to AFP. Authorities reported attacks on shops and public buildings in Marseille, Lyon, Avignon and Grenoble.¹³⁵

Serious injuries also affected teenagers. A 17-year-old boy lost his right hand to a crowd-control grenade in Saint-Etienne. Prosecutors said a teenage girl, 17, suffered the loss of an eye in Mulhouse. The Interior Ministry reported roughly 1,000 injured police officers, with seven seriously hurt.¹²³⁵

Political criticism and scrutiny

Macron asked Interior Minister Laurent Nunez to examine intelligence gathering and the authorities' ability to anticipate events, and said he expected clear answers, AFP reported. Nunez said several thousand people from the far left had targeted public buildings and confronted police, according to the BBC.²³

Marine Le Pen criticised Macron's administration as exhausted and lacking direction. Jean-Luc Melenchon warned that events could escape control and urged demonstrators to avoid looting. According to the BBC, he also accused Nunez and police chiefs of incompetence. NPR reported on October 19 that Melenchon had joined the protesters.¹²³⁴