Violence broke out across France on Saturday during the latest day of demonstrations against education standards and the cost of living. At least 400 people were arrested during what the French government described as an "escalation in violence" alongside an estimated 550,000 taking to the streets. In Paris, there were significant clashes into the evening with riot police, who used tear gas and water cannon on crowds.
Buildings were set alight in the capital and other areas, including in Limoges where a large fire in the town hall caused the roof to partly collapse. Looting broke out in several cities, with widespread vandalism targeted against city halls and businesses also reported. Sixty law enforcement officers were injured, including two who were taken to hospital unconscious, France's Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said.
In Paris, the main march appeared to be largely peaceful during the afternoon. A group of young people told the BBC they were "pacifists" who are "just trying to make things change, but nothing is moving". However, as the day wore on some groups lit fires in the street and torched vehicles, including in iconic locations in the city centre like the Place de la République.
Shops were ransacked, at least one restaurant was gutted by fire, and the BBC saw fighting breaking out among some of the groups. Riot police were seen charging at one crowd in central Paris and hitting several people with batons. In Lyon, Mayor Grégory Doucet said the burning of the city's tourist office was "a tragedy" for the city, telling BFMTV "it breaks our hearts because it's a very iconic, well-known historic building".
Local police said "hostile individuals" prevented firefighters from safely tackling the blaze. Fire crews also battled the fire at Limoges town hall, which the local prefecture said caused part of the building to collapse. A young man "had his hand blown off by a grenade" in Saint-Étienne, the south-eastern city's Mayor Régis Juanico said on social media, adding: "Such a tragedy should never have happened." The interior ministry said the protests involved "targeted acts of violence" from "hooded individuals" in places, including parts of the capital and also Marseille, Rennes, Toulouse and Angers.
Damage to buildings was reported across France, including in Grenoble, Avignon, Pau, Montpellier and Valence. Clothes and food shops were raided in Paris, while an Apple store in Lille was broken into and emptied. Footage authenticated by BBC Verify showed a tourist train in Grenoble being driven by masked men along a narrow street in the city centre towards at least three riot police officers.
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