France’s protests rage as buildings burn, shops are looted and young protester loses hand; Vance blames immigration

Violent clashes, arson and widespread looting swept across France on Saturday as nationwide protests against rising living costs and deteriorating public services escalated, with Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu saying 1,200 people had been arrested and 150 police officers injured, AP reported.

In Paris, masked groups smashed shop windows, ransacked supermarkets and jewellery stores, and stole goods as police struggled to contain the violence.

Officers fired tear gas and water cannon at protesters throwing fireworks, paving stones and other objects.


Cars, bicycles and rubbish bins were set ablaze, while broken glass and debris littered streets in the capital, the report said.

Town halls, government offices targeted as violence spreads

The unrest extended beyond Paris, with public buildings and municipal facilities targeted in several cities.

In Limoges, flames engulfed the city hall and were still raging on Saturday evening.

In Marseille, protesters damaged shops and a municipal police station before briefly forcing their way into the city hall lobby. A fire also broke out inside a tourist office in Lyon, as per the report.

The Interior Ministry said 550,000 people took part in 110 marches nationwide, while the CGT labour union put the turnout at 800,000.

Many demonstrations remained peaceful, but violence erupted on the sidelines as masked groups clashed with police and looted businesses.

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez blamed masked groups he described as radical far-left troublemakers for targeting public buildings, including city halls and local government offices.

He also reported attempted break-ins at the town halls of Lille and Calais and at a police station in Brest, alongside violence in Bordeaux, Rennes, Toulouse, Montpellier and Grenoble, as per the report.

The protests, involving students, labour unions and supporters of the “yellow vest” movement, reflected anger over soaring food, energy and fuel prices, as well as concerns about public services and school conditions.

The unrest has added to political uncertainty six months before France’s presidential election.

President Emmanuel Macron said those who vandalised property, attacked government offices and looted businesses would be prosecuted.

Authorities also opened an investigation after a young protester in Saint-Etienne lost a hand during Saturday’s demonstrations.

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez, according to AP, declined to confirm reports that a police grenade caused the injury.

Vance blames immigration, warns US

The unrest also drew a response from US Vice President JD Vance, who blamed immigration for the violence and used the scenes to criticise progressive policies in Europe.

Reacting to a video showing the fire at Limoges city hall, Vance said Western progressives had neglected questions of assimilation and compatibility in the name of diversity and compassion, AFP reported.

He urged Americans to take note of the unrest, warning that the scenes represented a future that Democratic lawmakers wanted for the United States.