Looting and buildings ablaze: France's violent Saturday protests in 10 pictures

Nationwide demonstrations in France against the cost of living and school hardships turned violent on Saturday, resulting in mass looting, fires, and clashes with police. While many marches were described as largely peaceful, violent groups targeted public buildings, luxury boutiques, and supermarkets. According to Live Mint, the historic town hall in Limoges caught fire and its roof gave way, while in Marseille, protesters vandalized city hall, and in Lyon, the tourist office was set ablaze.

In Paris, Mayor Emmanuel Gregoire stated whole streets were devastated as groups torched parked cars and ransacked shops.

The scale of participation varied by source, with Interior Minister Laurent Nunez reporting 550,000 participants, while the CGT union estimated the turnout at 800,000. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu reported that 1,200 people were arrested and 150 police officers were injured. RTE News noted that police utilized tear gas and water cannons against protesters who threw projectiles and fireworks. In Saint-Etienne, a 17-year-old boy lost his right hand to a crowd-control grenade.

In response to the unrest, President Emmanuel Macron stated on social media that there is no place for violence in France. The widespread demonstrations follow weeks of student protests regarding educational inequality and occur approximately six months before elections to replace the President.

Brief written by urgent.news from Euronews, Live Mint, France 24, RTE News, MyJoyOnline Ghana — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.