French President Emmanuel Macron held emergency talks after protests over living costs and public services turned violent across France.
Authorities reported 2,397 arrests and 997 injured officers during the unrest, while several foreign governments warned travelers to avoid demonstrations. The demonstrations on Saturday, October 17, drew hundreds of thousands of participants, including students and labor groups, reflecting broad anger over prices, school conditions, and public services. Although many demonstrators gathered peacefully, masked groups fought with police, looted shops, and attacked public buildings.
A fire destroyed the historic town hall in Limoges, and one demonstrator died after suffering a cardiac arrest during the protests. The Interior Ministry stated that seven of the injured police officers and gendarmes suffered serious injuries. During a meeting with senior officials on Sunday, Macron condemned the destruction while stating that legitimate public grievances must be separated from looting and violence.
Macron chose not to declare a state of emergency. By Monday, officials had introduced local curfews and restrictions on protests in parts of Paris and other cities to stop further unrest. Macron also rejected an offer to resign from Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez, keeping him in his role as the government's security response faced scrutiny.
Governments including Germany, Italy, Nordic countries, and China advised their citizens in France to avoid crowds, stay away from protests, and follow local official guidance.