France: Emmanuel Macron slams 'failures' over protest unrest

President Emmanuel Macron acknowledged failures in intelligence and anticipation following nationwide protests over the cost of living and public services that turned violent over the weekend. The unrest, which included mass looting, fires, and clashes between police and protesters, resulted in the death of one demonstrator in Paris following a cardiac arrest. The National UAE reported that more than half a million people participated in marches across numerous cities.

According to The Korea Times, the interior ministry reported that nearly 2,400 people were arrested on Saturday and almost 1,000 police and gendarmes were injured. The National UAE stated that more than 2,000 arrests were made and more than 600 officers were injured.

Despite calls from opposition politicians for his dismissal, President Macron refused the resignation of Interior Minister Laurent Nunez, which had been submitted on Sunday. DW News and DW English noted that the president refused the resignation after protests turned violent. Channel News Asia reported that Macron instructed Nunez to implement new operational methods for security forces, while The Korea Times stated the president asked Nunez to ensure transparency regarding the planning and intelligence failures.

Brief written by urgent.news from DW News, Channel News Asia, DW English (Top Stories), The Korea Times, The National UAE — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.