More than 1,800 arrested in France protests, says interior minister

More than 1,800 individuals were apprehended during and following violent protests in France, reported interior minister Laurent Nunez on Sunday. The unrest, which saw clashes, arson, and looting, took place in cities including Paris, Marseille, Lyon, Bordeaux, and others. These protests were in response to high inflation, partly due to the US-Iran war, and were preceded by four weeks of student demonstrations over subpar school conditions, some of which turned violent.

Nunez attributed the confrontations with law enforcement, as well as arson and vandalism of public buildings, to "several thousand ultra-left individuals." He emphasized that the economic damage was substantial, particularly for hundreds of shop proprietors. The minister further stated that approximately 500 police, firefighters, and paramedics sustained injuries during the protests, a number he acknowledged could fluctuate. Nunez reiterated that France would not surrender to those who seek to instigate chaos and violence.