France on fire: City halls set ablaze, shops looted as protests turn violent - videos

Protests over rising living costs and poor school conditions in France transformed into violent riots, causing extensive damage to public buildings and businesses. President Emmanuel Macron vowed legal action against rioters while announcing measures to address public grievances. The protests, backed by labor unions, student organizations, and activists, saw up to 8 million participants according to organizers, and at least 2,400 arrests were made.

In Paris, videos showed shattered shopfronts, broken glass, and damaged cobblestones around Place de la République, with similar scenes reported in other shopping and tourist districts. The unrest also spread to Limoges, where the 19th-century City Hall was set ablaze, and to Marseille and Lyon, where protesters briefly entered City Halls and a police station respectively.

Macron condemned "unrestrained violence" by "insurrectionist elements from radical far-left groups, joined by numerous criminals." The unrest has fueled political tensions ahead of the upcoming presidential election, with far-right leader Marine Le Pen criticizing Macron's government and left-wing leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon condemning looting and destruction. The unrest has also impacted the euro in Asian trading, with the currency falling 0.1% to $1.1225.