French President Emmanuel Macron has condemned what he described as unbridled violence during cost-of-living protests across the country, as police clashed with demonstrators and looters in Paris for another day.
The unrest, which saw nearly 2,400 people arrested on Saturday, was among the most severe episodes of urban violence France had experienced in years, according to the Interior Ministry.
The ministry also reported that almost 1,000 police officers and gendarmes were injured, with seven sustaining serious injuries.
Addressing the nation, Macron announced plans to strengthen security and promised that authorities would review the police response to the disturbances. However, he did not declare a state of emergency or impose a curfew, despite the scale of the violence.
“Tonight, we all feel anger and shame,” Macron said, stressing the need to distinguish between demonstrators making “legitimate demands” and those involved in destruction, vandalism and looting.
He warned that those responsible for the damage would face consequences, pledging that the government would take a firm stance against what he described as “agitators from ultra-left fringe groups, joined by numerous delinquents” who had “unleashed unbridled violence in our cities”.
Violence continued in Paris on Sunday, where police fired tear gas and stun grenades at hundreds of people assembled in a public square following calls on social media for a gathering that authorities said had not been authorised, according to reports.
Some demonstrators reportedly threw bottles and rocks at police, prompting officers to make several arrests. Shops around Place de la République were also looted, while specialised riot police were deployed in the area for a second consecutive day.
Further clashes were reported in Lyon, southeastern France, where police stopped a group of youths who attempted to smash the windows of a luxury clothing store.
Macron condemns ‘unbridled’ violence as France protests turn deadly