French President Emmanuel Macron appealed for “calm and order” on Sunday following a day of widespread demonstrations that descended into rioting and looting the previous day, with sporadic disorder persisting in Paris.
In a televised address from the Élysée Palace, Macron warned participants against any further “escalation,” acknowledging the national mood by stating, “We all feel anger and shame.”
Approximately 550,000 demonstrators took to the streets on Saturday for largely peaceful rallies against rising fuel prices, the increasing cost of living, and declining public services, including education.
Macron emphasized the need to distinguish between the “legitimate demands” of peaceful protesters and the actions of “those who destroyed, smashed and looted.”
According to the Interior Ministry, police have arrested roughly 2,400 individuals in connection with the unrest.
The president declared that “nothing justifies” the “unbridled” violence witnessed and vowed that those responsible would face the full force of the law.
Groups of rioters, some clad in black and wearing masks or balaclavas, emerged in Paris, Marseille, and other urban centers, setting fire to vehicles and buildings.
On Sunday, looting and clashes with law enforcement continued on a reduced scale in sections of the capital and Lyon.
According to the AFP news agency, police deployed tear gas and stun grenades against hundreds of people in Paris, while projectiles such as bottles and rocks were again hurled at officers.
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