France: Riots erupt as 550,000 protest against cost of living and education crisis

Violent clashes between police and protesters erupted across France on Saturday, with an estimated 550,000 people participating in nationwide demonstrations against high prices, social inequality and the state of the education system. The Interior Ministry reported hundreds of arrests following violent incidents in cities including Paris, Marseille, Rennes, Toulouse and Angers.

In Paris and Marseille, police fired tear gas as violent confrontations intensified. AFP reported that dozens of shops were looted in Paris, Marseille, Nice, Bordeaux and Lille, where an Apple store was stripped. Windows at the offices of French broadcasters CNews and Europe 1 in western Paris were broken by protesters, and several parked cars were torched, according to AFP journalists.

Firestorms struck multiple government buildings during the unrest. In Limoges, the 19th-century town hall was largely destroyed after flames spread from a wing to the roof, and in Lyon, the city’s tourism office was set alight. In Lille, protesters broke into the city hall and vandalized the premises before riot police confirmed all demonstrators had left.

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu confirmed that 150 police personnel were injured and 1,200 people were arrested nationwide, remarking while visiting officers in Paris: 'It's a miracle the toll wasn't higher.' President Emmanuel Macron condemned the violence in a post on X, warning that those who attacked prefectures, businesses and town halls 'will be prosecuted and punished.'

The protests represent the second major wave of demonstrations, following initial student-led marches last month over teacher absences and run-down facilities. Participants included students, trade unionists and remnants of the 2018–2020 Yellow Vests movement. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez described 'a growing number of violent incidents,' while the ministry attributed the unrest to the 'hard-left.'

DW correspondent Jack Parrock noted in Paris that while videos of violence circulated widely, police in some areas 'seemingly tried to show some restraint — clearly intending to deescalate some of the recent tension.' The protests add mounting pressure on President Macron’s government ahead of a presidential election in April 2027.