Paris police confirmed on Sunday that 1,800 individuals were arrested in the capital region alone following a violent escalation during nationwide protests over soaring living costs and deteriorating school conditions.
Authorities reported that approximately 550,000 people demonstrated across France, while organisers placed the turnout closer to 800,000.
What began as a protest march deteriorated as masked groups formed unauthorised processions, targeting public buildings, municipal offices, and luxury storefronts. The violence left a trail of shattered glass and dislodged cobblestones around the Place de la République.
The unrest proved destructive nationwide. In Limoges, a deliberate fire gutted a historic 19th-century city hall, causing its roof to collapse. Similar attacks hit Marseille, where protesters breached City Hall, and Lyon, where a tourist office caught fire.
Paris police also confirmed one fatality after a protester suffered a fatal heart attack during the chaos, alongside injuries sustained by 13 law enforcement officers and two firefighters.
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu and Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez condemned the violence, blaming radical factions for hijacking peaceful demonstrations.
In response to the widespread destruction, mayors from Paris, Marseille, and Lyon have requested an urgent meeting with the prime minister.
