French nationwide protests against cost of living spark widespread riots
On 17 October, between 550,000 and 800,000 people protested across France against rising costs, with demonstrations in major cities including Paris, Lille, Marseille and Limoges. Some protesters engaged in rioting, looting shops and vandalising public buildings, leading to around 400 arrests and strong condemnation from President Macron and Prime Minister Lecornu.
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France experienced significant social unrest on 17 October as hundreds of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets nationwide to protest against the cost of living. According to unions and the interior ministry, between 550,000 and 800,000 people participated in the demonstrations across the country, with approximately 110,000 in Paris. Yellow vest activists, who protest against fuel prices, joined the marches alongside students and schoolchildren already mobilised in previous weeks.
While most demonstrations remained peaceful, some groups broke away from approved protest routes to commit vandalism and looting. In Paris, rioters smashed shop windows and looted stores including Monoprix supermarket, McDonald's, an SFR shop and a cosmetics outlet. A motorcycle dealership near Les Halles was set on fire. Violence also occurred in other cities: in Lille, protesters forced their way into the town hall and vandalised the building; in Marseille, groups broke windows and sprayed graffiti on a statue of Marianne; and in Limoges, the historic Hôtel de Ville was destroyed by fire.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez reported approximately 400 arrests nationwide and condemned the looting witnessed in numerous cities. President Emmanuel Macron stated that violence has no place in the Republic and promised that those responsible would be prosecuted. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu warned that the government will not be intimidated and suggested the unrest appeared to be a deliberate warm-up ahead of the presidential election.
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