France’s nationwide protests against high living costs were marred by riots, with police reporting widespread arson and looting. According to government figures, 1,200 people were arrested and 150 police officers were injured. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu called it “violence of an extreme intensity”. The unrest erupted during demonstrations held across the country, with hundreds of thousands taking to the streets. In Paris, clashes between demonstrators and police saw a car set on fire. Police used tear gas and water cannon repeatedly, while the mayor said entire streets were “methodically devastated”. Violence spread beyond the capital. In Lyon, a tourism office burned, and in Limoges, the more than 140-year-old city hall was set alight, with the prefect saying the building was largely lost. In Marseille, the city hall was stormed, and demonstrators also attacked the official residence of the prefect’s office in the Gironde department, where the RAID special police unit was deployed. Other incidents included Saint-Etienne, where a 17-year-old protester lost his hand after a police grenade. The article also notes that a 15-year-old lost his left hand after a flashbang exploded near his school in Lens a fortnight earlier. The protests were organized by groups including the Yellow Vests movement, unions, students and farmers, amid anger over the cost of living and education funding cuts. French authorities said there were numerous video recordings of the violence and announced further arrests. Macron condemned the attacks and said “destroyers” and “looters” would be prosecuted. Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin called it “riots of unprecedented scope” and urged public prosecutors to respond decisively. A police union warned that forces were under extreme strain.