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Violent protests across France have led to about 1,800 arrests, with shops looted and a 19th-century town hall in Limoges destroyed by fire. In Paris, police reported a record 855 arrests and more than 500 people remained in custody, while 160 were held in Lyon. Nationwide cost-of-living demonstrations drew 550,000 people according to the Interior Ministry and 800,000 according to the CGT union. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said around 500 police officers, firefighters and paramedics were injured, a figure that remains provisional. Both the government and Marine Le Pen blamed “ultra-left” groups for the violence, adding pressure on President Emmanuel Macron in the final months of his presidency.

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said 1,800 people had been taken into custody after violent protests that caused widespread damage and looting, and investigators are working to identify those responsible. More than 500 police officers, gendarmes and firefighters were injured, and several hundred merchants suffered considerable material damage. According to the Haute-Vienne police prefect, the 143-year-old town hall in Limoges was deliberately set on fire, and its roof largely collapsed. During Saturday's nationwide marches against rising inflation, protesters also broke into town halls in Marseille and Lille, and dozens of shops were looted, many of them in Marseille. Over 300 protesters tried to move toward the Champs-Elysees before police used tear gas to block their way.

French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said 1,800 people have been taken into custody after violent protests caused widespread damage and looting. He said there is no justification for attacking law enforcement, targeting institutions or looting businesses, even though protest is a fundamental right. More than 500 police officers, gendarmes and firefighters were injured, and several hundred merchants suffered material damage. The violence hit many cities, including Paris, Marseille, Lyon, Bordeaux, Rennes, Strasbourg, Grenoble, Nice and Limoges. In Limoges, a fire largely collapsed the roof of the 143-year-old town hall and was brought under control.