France Protests: 1200 Detained Over Schools and Prices

Violence broke out at demonstrations across France against problems in schools and rising prices. According to the media, at least 1200 people were detained. The government called the incident an "escalation of violence". According to BBC data, about 550,000 people took to the streets.

In Paris, significant clashes with riot police took place in the evening hours, who used tear gas and water cannons against the crowds. In the second half of the day, the main march appeared largely peaceful. A group of young people told the BBC that they are "pacifists" who "are simply trying to change something, but nothing changes". During the day, some groups set fires in the streets and burned cars, including at Place de la République. Shops were looted, at least one restaurant was destroyed by fire, and the BBC also recorded clashes between some groups. There were also reports of riot police charging at people gathered in central Paris and striking several people with batons.

Buildings were set on fire in the capital and other regions. In Limoges, a strong fire at the city hall, according to the local prefecture, caused a partial collapse of the roof. In Lyon, the city's tourist office was burned. Mayor Grégory Doucet described this as a "tragedy" for the city and told BFMTV: "Our hearts are breaking, because this is a very iconic, famous historic building". According to local police, "hostile individuals" prevented firefighters from safely extinguishing the blaze.

In Saint-Étienne, a young man had his hand "torn off by a grenade", the city's mayor Régis Juanico said on social media, adding: "Such a tragedy should never have happened."

In several cities, robberies began, and reports of large-scale vandalism against city halls and business premises are also spreading. In Paris, clothing and food shops were looted, and in Lille people broke into an Apple store and stole goods. Reports of damage to buildings also came from Grenoble, Avignon, Poitiers, Montpellier and Valence. BBC Verify-confirmed footage shows that in Grenoble, in the city centre on a narrow street, masked individuals were leading a tourist train towards at least three riot police officers.

The Interior Ministry said that in some places during the protests, "hooded individuals" carried out "targeted violent acts". This concerns parts of the capital, Marseille, Rennes, Toulouse and Angers. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said 150 police officers were injured during the unrest. According to him, police faced "violence of extreme intensity", and some groups used the protests to "stoke up" ahead of the presidential election. Lecornu added: "No one will impose their political agenda on others through violence."

For weeks, hundreds of thousands of students have been protesting the shortage of staff and outdated infrastructure in lycées, that is, secondary schools, where teenagers aged 15 to 18 study. On Saturday, trade union members and other protest groups joined them. These include the Yellow Vests movement, which protested the rising cost of living for more than a year from 2018.

Education Minister Edouard Geffray promised in a television interview on 8 October to appoint 3000 additional teachers, but the protests continued and intensified. According to the BBC, the wave is happening during a period of deep political uncertainty in the country. President Emmanuel Macron will leave office next year, and polls suggest the April presidential election could be a contest between Marine Le Pen, leader of the National Rally, and Jean-Luc Mélenchon, a representative of La France Insoumise.

Mélenchon took part in the demonstrations, but later accused police of "attacking" protesters while also condemning the looting and fires. Lecornu described his comments as "dangerous and cynical". Le Pen said the protesters' "legitimate demands have been hijacked by ultra-leftists" and accused Mélenchon of fuelling the violence. Macron said: "Those who smashed things, attacked prefectures and businesses, and even looted our city halls, will be held accountable and punished."