Violent protests erupted across France on Saturday as hundreds of thousands demonstrated against rising living costs and poor school conditions, leading to at least 1,200 arrests and widespread damage.
An estimated 550,000 people joined 110 marches nationwide, with 110,000 in Paris alone, according to Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez, though organizers claimed 800,000 participants . Clashes turned destructive in multiple cities, with protesters storming Marseille’s town hall and setting fires in Lyon, where the tourist office burned . In Limoges, the historic town hall was largely destroyed by fire, causing part of its roof to collapse .
Police used tear gas and water cannons in Paris to disperse masked demonstrators throwing fireworks and projectiles, while looters ransacked shops and torched vehicles . Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu reported 150 injured officers and blamed “extremely violent, radical far-left groups” for targeting public buildings and businesses . President Emmanuel Macron condemned the violence, vowing to prosecute those responsible .
The unrest began as student-led protests over school conditions merged with broader grievances about inflation and public service cuts, drawing support from trade unions and other groups . In Saint-Étienne, a young man lost his hand in an explosion, according to the city’s mayor .
