Saturday's protests turn violent
Protests against the rising cost of living and failures in the school system drew people across France on Saturday, 17 October. The Yellow Vests movement, unions, pupils, students and farmers had called for the demonstrations. Authorities put the nationwide turnout at about 550,000, including 110,000 in Paris, while the CGT union said it was above 800,000. Alongside the marches, groups set cars and buildings alight and looted shops in many cities. In Limoges the town hall was set on fire and destroyed.
Detention and injury tallies differ
The figures for arrests and injured officers vary by source. One report cited government data showing 2,397 people detained and 997 police officers injured. Another, citing the Interior Ministry, put the number detained at about 2,000 and the injured at around 600 police officers and firefighters. Italian coverage cited police figures of 855 people detained in Paris, which the authorities described as a record, and said arrests nationwide had passed 1,200. The counts are attributed to different bodies and do not match, so each should be read with its own source.
Macron's address to the nation
On Sunday evening Emmanuel Macron addressed the nation on television, condemning the violence and promising full clarity about what happened. He opened with a judgement on the violence:
Nothing justifies it, nothing explains it, nothing excuses it.
He told prefects, working together with mayors, that they could take decisions to protect cities, including banning certain gatherings. He separated the demonstrators' legitimate demands from those who destroyed and looted, and asked the government to review intelligence work and the preparation of security forces. He also asked the government to bring students, teachers, lawmakers, unions and business leaders together this week to draft concrete proposals. Speaking to the mood of the evening, he added:
Tonight we all feel anger and shame.
- Nationwide protests against living costs and school conditions turn violent, with shops looted and the Limoges town hall burned
- Macron addresses the nation on television, saying prefects can ban certain gatherings if needed
Opposition calls escalate
Jordan Bardella, president of the National Rally, called the address lamentable and said the government was cowardly and disoriented, adding that it no longer had the strength to protect people. Marine Le Pen had not yet responded to the speech. Bruno Retailleau, leader of The Republicans, asked Macron to declare a state of emergency, pointing to the measures taken in 2005. He proposed curfews, bans on movement in risky zones and house arrest for identified ringleaders, and said a law would be needed for these exceptions, as had been done for terrorism. Jean-Luc Mélenchon, France Insoumise candidate for the 2027 presidential election, told LCI the situation could become uncontrollable, proposing a price freeze, 10 billion in education investment and the abolition of Parcoursup. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu spoke on Sunday of an extreme level of violence.
What happens next
Macron said the Saturday police operation should be examined with full transparency, and that officers had held firm and done everything they could. He said of those responsible for the damage:
Those who destroyed must pay, those who looted must reimburse.
He urged parties and unions to condemn all forms of violence and to debate in elections, not in the street, with the presidential vote about six months away. He acknowledged that some people consider fuel prices too high and linked them to the war in Iran. In Paris, residents in several districts were counting the damage on Sunday, and sporadic clashes broke out again in the evening.