France Takes 1,800 Into Custody After Protests Turn Violent

French authorities have taken 1,800 people into custody following violent protests across the country, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said on Sunday, as investigators sought to identify those responsible for attacks on public buildings and businesses.

More than 500 police officers, gendarmes and firefighters were injured during the unrest, Nunez said, adding that the toll remained provisional. Several hundred merchants suffered considerable property damage.

Saturday’s nationwide demonstrations against rising inflation followed weeks of student-led rallies. Clashes, fires and looting were reported in Paris, Marseille, Lyon, Bordeaux, Rennes, Strasbourg and several other cities.

“Manifesting is a fundamental right. Sowing disorder with violence and in a concerted manner is not,” Nunez wrote on X.

He condemned attacks on security personnel, damage to public buildings, forced entry into prefectures and town halls, and the looting of businesses.

“For now, 1,800 people have been taken into custody, and as of today, investigations are underway to identify the perpetrators of these acts so that they may face justice,” he said.

TOWN HALL DAMAGED BY FIRE

In Limoges, a fire severely damaged the city’s 143-year-old town hall, causing a substantial section of its roof to collapse, according to media reports.

Haute-Vienne prefect Maurice Barate said the blaze had been brought under control and alleged that protesters had deliberately set the building alight.

A tourist information centre in central Lyon was also set on fire. Demonstrators reportedly forced their way into town halls in Marseille and Lille and vandalised the interiors. Shops were looted in several cities, particularly Marseille.

Nunez blamed several thousand people he described as belonging to the far left for initiating attacks on public buildings and confronting security forces. He said others subsequently joined the unrest to loot businesses.

CLASHES IN PARIS

Tens of thousands of people marched through eastern and northern Paris on Saturday, with some chanting slogans against the police and calling for President Emmanuel Macron’s resignation.

Police used tear gas to stop more than 300 demonstrators attempting to move towards the Champs-Elysees, where several luxury brands have flagship stores, according to media reports.

Nunez expressed support for police officers, gendarmes and firefighters, saying they had intervened under extreme conditions during demonstrations that continued late into the night in some cities.

“The Republic will yield nothing to those who seek to impose disorder and violence,” he said.

With inputs from ANI