In brief
In a televised address from the Élysée Palace, Emmanuel Macron urged France to maintain calm after a peaceful protest turned violent. Thousands of demonstrators across Paris, Marseille and Lille chanted against rising fuel prices and public service cuts; some turned to looting and fire. Macron stated that those who destroyed property would face justice and confirmed a coordinated police response. The president pressed for transparency and expressed a hope that anger and shame would not drive further unrest.
French President Emmanuel Macron addressed the nation on television, calling for calm after a series of protests turned into violent riots and looting across the country.
In the prime-time address from the Élysée Palace, Macron recognised that many citizens felt anger and shame, citing the events that unfolded Saturday when protesters rallied against rising fuel prices, the cost of living and deteriorating public services.
Over 550,000 demonstrators took to the streets in a largely peaceful protest that eventually devolved into vandalism, with some groups wearing masks and balaclavas setting fire to cars and buildings in cities such as Paris, Marseille and Lille.
Macron emphasized that legitimate demands had to be distinguished from “those who destroyed, smashed and looted.” He pledged that those involved in the violence would face justice, while confirming that local prefects and mayors would collaborate nationwide to protect shops and public property.
The French interior ministry reported that around 2,400 people had been arrested, and about 1,000 police officers were injured in the clashes, with seven sustaining serious injuries.
To ensure transparency, Macron promised regular updates on the police response. He also urged communities to unite in the face of growing unrest, affirming that a nation united in calm could overcome the challenges posed by the protests.
Photo caption: French President Emmanuel Macron chaired an inter‑ministerial crisis meeting at the Élysée Palace on Sunday, as part of the nationwide response to the outbreaks of violence.
