From Malay Mail · · 1m 50s
France protests turn violent as 1,200 arrested
France's cost-of-living protests escalate into violent looting and fires with 1,200 arrests.
In brief
France's cost-of-living protests escalate into violent looting and fires with 1,200 arrests. France's cost-of-living protests turned violent, leading to 1,200 arrests and widespread property damage across multiple cities. Originally reported by Malay Mail.
Violence erupts in France
Clashes between police and protesters, massive looting and multiple blazes gripped France yesterday as nationwide marches against soaring inflation degenerated into street violence of 'extreme intensity'.
1,200 arrests reported
French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said late Saturday that 1,200 people had been arrested and 150 police officers hurt.
Protests linked to elections
The unrest follows weeks of student protests and deepens political uncertainty as the country readies for elections in six months’ time to replace President Emmanuel Macron.
Paris streets devastated
Whole streets in Paris 'have been devastated' as groups of masked young men torched parked cars and ransacked many shops.
Looting across cities
Scores of shops, supermarkets, pharmacies, luxury boutiques, clothing retailers, opticians, cosmetic vendors and consumer electronics stores, were looted in Paris, Marseille, Nice, Nantes, Bordeaux, Limoges, Lille, Toulouse and Strasbourg.
Yellow Vest movement
France’s Yellow Vest movement, which eight years ago staged street protests against Macron’s government over planned fuel tax hikes, had called for Saturday’s 'yellow and youth' demonstrations.
Cost of living crisis
The principal grievance was the cost of living, pushed up in part by the war in the Middle East that has helped send inflation soaring in Europe as elsewhere.
Political reactions
Opposition politicians vying to replace Macron in presidential elections in April and May seized on the chaos, with Marine Le Pen condemning 'the rioters' and claiming her far-left rival Jean-Luc Melenchon had 'legitimised the violence'.
Revolutionary parallels
Several protesters sought to draw parallels with the French Revolution of 1789, shouting 'It’s the Revolution, we’re taking the Bastille!' and 'Revolution or death.'
The takeaway
France's cost-of-living protests turned violent, leading to 1,200 arrests and widespread property damage across multiple cities.
