In brief
On Sunday, Paris was plunged into chaos as more than 550,000 demonstrators marched over fuel prices and the cost of living. Masked groups set fire to vehicles and smashed shopfronts, prompting police to deploy tear gas, water cannons and batons. Riots spread to Marseille, Lille and other cities, with historic buildings damaged and shop owners reporting opportunistic looters. Prime Minister Lecornu reported 150 police injuries, while damaged high‑end retail fronts bore graffiti slogans. The aftermath sees streets littered with glass debris and a country grappling with public unrest.
On Sunday, Paris was a tinderbox of shattered glass, charred cars and burnt‑out bikes as demonstrations over rising fuel prices and the cost of living spiralled into riots and looting. Over 550,000 people marched across the city, and at least 1,800 were arrested the following day.
Masked groups in black gear and balaclavas gathered in Paris, Marseille and other towns, setting fire to vehicles, smashing shopfronts and hurling petrol bombs. Police deployed tear gas and water cannons, storming crowds and where necessary, using batons. In Marseille, demonstrators broke into the city hall using a metal fence as a battering ram; in Lille a McDonald’s was set alight and an Apple store ransacked.
The unrest also spread beyond major cities. In Lyon, the tourist office and in Limoges town hall the blaze stole part of the historic building, while a student in Saint‑Étienne suffered a hand‑blewing due to a small explosive. Teachers decried the lack of staff and the school's deteriorating conditions during the marches.
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu warned that 150 police officers were injured, and the Interior Ministry described “targeted acts of violence” in London, Rennes, Toulouse, and Angers. While protesters claimed to fight against inequality, shop owners said looters were opportunistic and ‘not real protestors.’
In the wake of the chaos, residents and cleaners swept glass fragments and ammunition‑laden debris from pavements and streets. Designer store fronts from Ralph Lauren, Gucci and Versace suffered smashed glass and intense graffiti slogans such as “tax the rich” and “eat the rich.”
