France experienced one of its worst outbreaks of civil disorder in modern history on Saturday, as roughly 550,000 demonstrators took to the streets over rising fuel prices, cost of living, and deteriorating public services. Police arrested about 1,800 people as the day devolved into rioting and looting across Paris, Marseille, Lille and other cities.
Scenes across Paris on Sunday morning showed burnt-out cars, charred motorcycles, shattered storefronts at designer retailers including Ralph Lauren, Gucci and Versace, and widespread debris. A restaurant was gutted by fire. More than 500 police officers, gendarmes and firefighters suffered injuries. About 1,500 shops and retailers sustained damage, according to the Retail and Trade Federation.
Riot police deployed tear gas and water cannons against crowds. Officers were filmed charging at demonstrators and hitting several with batons. Protesters clashed with police in central Paris and other locations. In Marseille, groups broke into city hall using a metal fence as a battering ram. A McDonald's was set on fire in Lille, and an Apple store there was broken into and looted.
Groups of rioters, many dressed in black and wearing masks and balaclavas, set fires to vehicles and buildings. Widespread looting occurred in multiple cities, with CCTV footage showing groups of teenagers, mostly masked, taking items from shops. One clothes shop owner told the BBC he observed looters for over an hour and a half on his security cameras without seeing police during that time.
France's Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said "several thousand far-left individuals" were determined to target public buildings and confront police, later joined by "delinquents who looted and ransacked numerous businesses." Graffiti at damaged shops read "tax the rich" and "eat the rich."
Damage extended beyond retail. In Lyon, the city's tourist office burned down. In Limoges, a fire at the 143-year-old town hall caused part of the building to collapse. A young man had his hand blown off by a small explosive in Saint-Étienne. In multiple cities, "hostile individuals" prevented firefighters from safely tackling blazes.
The protests began late last month, with students demanding additional school investment, more teachers and staff, and improved classroom conditions and facilities.
President Emmanuel Macron was scheduled to address the nation Sunday evening.