Protests and looting across France lead to more than 2,000 arrests before Macron's address

How the protests grew

The mobilisation began in September with students protesting school conditions, including teacher shortages, crowded classes and poor buildings. It widened into a broad movement over the cost of living, fuel prices, wages, pensions and public services. Government estimates had expected the student protests to fade, but other social groups joined the demonstrations instead. According to Le Monde's investigation, the date that spread was first proposed in a video posted on 7 September by a young content creator using the pseudonym "V2", who denounced rising fuel prices and suggested a Saturday when schools are closed. The clip drew hundreds of thousands of likes, and AI-generated posters presented the day as organised by the Yellow Vests, though the movement's organisations did not confirm this.

Saturday's protests and violence

On Saturday, 17 October, French authorities counted about 550,000 demonstrators nationwide, while organisers put the figure at 800,000.

According to authorities, groups with covered faces set fires and attacked public buildings, including town halls, in several cities. Nuñez said hundreds of businesses were looted in Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Bordeaux. In Limoges, a fire at a 19th-century town hall brought down the roof and nearly destroyed the building. Hundreds of police officers and emergency workers were injured. Arrests stood at at least 1,800 in earlier reports, and by Sunday Nuñez put them at more than 2,000 while investigations continued, with more than 850 made in Paris alone. One person died; Paris police attributed the death to a cardiac arrest, and the Paris prosecutor's office opened an inquiry.

Nuñez wrote on X that the right to demonstrate is fundamental, but deliberately organised violence is not.

The right to demonstrate is a fundamental right. The deliberate and organised provocation of unrest through violence is not.

Government and opposition trade blame

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu placed the blame on La France insoumise, the party led by Jean-Luc Mélenchon, saying its members had provoked the incidents. He said the first rioters attacked security forces and government buildings before the official demonstrations started, and that they came from the far left. Opposition figures and presidential hopefuls have criticised the government, which also faces criticism over police violence. Lecornu said France had reached a point of no return.

Behind all this, clearly a political battle is being waged.

Marine Le Pen, leader of the National Rally, posted a video on social media accusing Macron of losing control of the situation. She described a deep crisis of confidence in the authorities that threatens democratic institutions, and a government that has lost its legitimacy.

The country is at a dead end, if not hostage, between violence and the inability of authority to react.

Sunday and what comes next

On Sunday, 18 October, hundreds of demonstrators gathered again at Place de la République in Paris, where police used tear gas and a water cannon to disperse them. Protesters were setting up barricades in Marseille, where strong police forces were deployed on the streets. Macron was due to hold an emergency meeting with senior government officials before a televised address at 20:00 local time, which is 21:00 in Greece. The CGT and other unions have called for a new day of mass demonstrations on 5 November. Schools enter a two-week holiday, and the government hopes the student movement will lose momentum during the break.