Macron calls for calm in France and warns rioting must not escalate

French President Emmanuel Macron addressed the nation on Monday following a series of protests that escalated into rioting and looting across the country. Speaking from the Élysée Palace, Macron urged the public to maintain calm and order, warning against further escalation of violence. "We all feel anger and shame," he stated, acknowledging the legitimate grievances that sparked the protests against rising fuel prices, soaring living costs, and declining public services.

Macron emphasized the need to differentiate between the protesters' legitimate demands and those who engaged in damaging and destructive acts.

About 550,000 demonstrators took part in largely peaceful marches, with French authorities reporting the arrest of approximately 2,400 individuals. Macron condemned the "unbridled violence" witnessed during the protests and vowed that those responsible would face justice. In recent days, rioters, some wearing black clothing and masks, targeted various cities including Paris, Marseille, and Lyon, setting cars and buildings ablaze and hurling debris at law enforcement.

On Sunday, looting and confrontations with police persisted in smaller scales across the capital and Lyon, with police deploying tear gas and stun grenades to disperse crowds.

The damage inflicted on public and private buildings was substantial. In Limoges, a 19th-century city hall was burned to the ground, its clock tower and roof collapsing under the flames. Macron met with Annèyse and Gerrard, residents who expressed their distress over the destruction of heritage buildings and the selfish nature of targeting historical structures.

He assured local authorities would take measures to protect shops and civic buildings, and promised full transparency regarding the police response to the unrest. The interior ministry confirmed that about 1,000 police officers sustained injuries during the protests, seven of them in serious condition.