Protests over cost of living turn violent in France, 1,200 arrested

France woke up on Sunday morning to streets scarred by burned cars, broken shop fronts and looted businesses. As protests over the cost of living turned violent, some of the most severe unrest of recent years has been seen across the country.

The mainly peaceful marches that began on Saturday over price rises and declining living standards quickly heated up. Masked youths set fire to vehicles, looted shops and attacked government buildings in various cities including Paris, Marseille, Nice, Bordeaux, Lille and Strasbourg.

Paris's Deputy Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire said entire streets had been destroyed. When protesters threw projectiles at the police and set off fireworks, the police used tear gas and water cannon.

Authorities said about 1,200 people had been arrested and 150 police officers injured. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said it was a miracle that the number of casualties was not even higher.

The town halls of Limoges, Marseille and Lille were targeted. A police compound in Bordeaux and a tourism office in Lyon were vandalized.

In Saint-Étienne, a 17-year-old teenager lost his right hand to a crowd-control grenade. This incident has become a symbol of how grave the level of the violence was.

This unrest has come after weeks of student protests demanding more investment in education. Coming six months before the presidential election, the violence has also sparked political debate.

Far-right and far-left rivals blamed each other for the violence. On the other hand, President Emmanuel Macron promised that those responsible for the looting and the attacks on government buildings will be brought to justice and punished.

This protest originated from anger over the cost of living and living standards. How it rolled from a peaceful march into looting, arson and clashes is now at the center of discussion in France.

The figures for arrests and injured police given by the authorities indicate the scale of the situation. With unrest spreading in multiple cities at the same time, law enforcement agencies have had to handle the situation across wide areas.

Ahead of the election, this violence has increased the pressure on the government. This protest, coming in continuation of the student protests demanding education investment, is now being seen as an expression of broader economic discontent.

For now, the cleanup of the damaged streets and businesses and the promise to bring those responsible to justice are the government's immediate response. But if the main anger over the cost of living is not resolved, the protests may rise up again — this apprehension remains.