How France's worst rioting in years erupted

France witnessed its worst civil unrest in years as riots erupted nationwide, with major cities witnessing clashes between protesters and police. Over 2,400 individuals were arrested during the weekend, and thousands of businesses suffered damage or were looted. The unrest overshadowed peaceful demonstrations organized by hundreds of thousands of citizens protesting rising living costs and inadequate school conditions.

President Emmanuel Macron denounced the violence, attributing it to insurrectionist elements from radical far-left groups and opportunistic criminals. The National High School Student Coordination group and a movement seeking to revive the 2018 yellow vest protests announced more demonstrations for Saturday, calling for Macron's resignation.

The damage inflicted during the riots surpassed the 2018 yellow vest protests, according to a research professor at the Sciences Po Grenoble political institute. This unrest stands out due to the injuries sustained by protesters during police confrontations, with six people, including minors, losing limbs or eyesight. French intelligence services estimate the far-left radical movement to consist of approximately 3,000 individuals, while the majority of violence was perpetrated by opportunistic criminals.

Macron vowed to take a firm stance against rioters and authorized the use of localized curfews in affected areas.