Looters smash Paris shops as ‘unacceptable’ violence rocks France
Smashing shop windows and snatching boxes of goods, looters in Paris poured into stores across the capital on Saturday, facing no resistance from authorities as nationwide protests degenerated into violence. Crowds of masked men wearing black hoodies yanked at metal store shutters until they gave way, clearing shelves of cigarettes, sunglasses, clothes, jewellery and food. The violence erupted as…
Nationwide protests in France against the rising cost of living and declining public services devolved into extreme violence on Saturday, resulting in mass looting, fires, and clashes with police. In Paris, masked men in black hoodies looted stores, smashing windows to steal food, clothing, jewellery, cigarettes, and sunglasses.
Paris Mayor Emmanuel Gregoire reported that whole streets were devastated as groups of masked young men torched parked cars and ransacked shops. The interior ministry stated that 550,000 people attended the marches, while the CGT union reported 800,000 participants.
The unrest caused significant damage to landmarks and infrastructure. In Limoges, a 143-year-old town hall was largely lost to a fire started by masked protesters who reportedly set a police car on fire before entering the building. Local official Maurice Barate noted that the roof collapsed and two-thirds of the exterior has disappeared. In the city of Saint-Etienne, a 17-year-old boy had his right hand blown off by a crowd-control grenade.
French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu condemned the intensity of the violence, noting that 1,200 people had been arrested and 150 police officers were injured. While Euronews reported approximately 400 arrests, Hindustan Times - World News reported more than 1,000 arrests. President Emmanuel Macron stated that those who attacked businesses and town halls would be prosecuted. US Vice President JD Vance blamed immigration for the violence in a post on X.
Brief written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post, Gulf News, Hindustan Times - World News, Free Malaysia Today, Euronews — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
