President Macron calls for calm after unrest in France — Kathmandu Post
French President Emmanuel Macron called on citizens to remain calm after large-scale unrest erupted during protests over the rising cost of living and deteriorating public services. According to Kathmandu Post, police detained 2,400 people across the country, while nearly 1,000 law enforcement officers were injured.
In a televised address, Macron said that peaceful protesters had legitimate grievances, but should not be equated with those who resorted to violence and destruction. The president did not declare a state of emergency, as some right-wing politicians had demanded. At the same time, he said authorities could grant prefects the power to ban demonstrations if necessary to protect public buildings and local businesses.
Clashes in Paris and Marseille
New clashes took place in Paris and Marseille on Sunday. At Place de la République in Paris, police used tear gas, while protesters set piles of bicycles on fire. According to the publication, several hundred protesters were in the area.
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During Saturday's unrest, a town hall was set on fire in various French cities, shops were looted, and buildings were covered in graffiti. One protester died after suffering cardiac arrest during a demonstration in Paris. The French government said that ultra-left groups and criminals were responsible for the violence and, according to it, had provoked the looting.
Damaged shops and public buildings
More than half a million people took part in marches in dozens of cities on Saturday. The protests brought together a month-long student movement and broader public discontent over the high cost of living and the state of public services. At the same time, groups that resorted to violence attacked police officers, police vehicles, supermarkets, and high-end boutiques.
In Limoges, the town hall's clock tower collapsed as a result of a fire. Mayor Guillaume Guérin said too few police officers had been deployed to protect Limoges and threatened to resign if the city did not receive funds to repair the building. Carrefour CEO Alexandre Bompard said that 50 stores in the chain had been damaged, 20 of them looted; the losses are estimated at tens of millions of euros.
