New clashes rock Paris on Sunday evening as protest toll climbs to 2,400 arrests
Police fired tear gas and stun grenades at hundreds of people in central Paris on Sunday evening, hours after Emmanuel Macron's televised address to the nation, as the interior ministry put Saturday's arrest total at nearly 2,400 with almost 1,000 officers injured.
Unrest returned to central Paris on Sunday evening just hours after Emmanuel Macron’s televised address to the nation, with police firing tear gas and stun grenades at hundreds of people gathered in a Paris square following social-media calls for a rally that authorities said had not been approved.
Bottles and rocks were hurled at police, who made 42 arrests, according to authorities. At least five stores were looted around République square, other shops in central Paris had windows smashed, and the city hall advised many businesses to close. In Lyon, police battled youths who attempted to loot a luxury clothing store (Channel NewsAsia).
The new violence came after Macron’s address in which he condemned the “unbridled” violence of Saturday’s cost-of-living protests and vowed the authorities would be “uncompromising” towards “agitators from ultra-left fringe groups, joined by numerous delinquents”. He stopped short of announcing a state of emergency or curfew, but said local authorities would be able to ban “if necessary” certain rallies in the coming days (CNA).
The interior ministry put Saturday’s arrest total at nearly 2,400 — some of the worst urban violence in France in years — with almost 1,000 police and gendarmes injured, seven seriously. The Times separately reported more than 2,000 arrests and 600 police, firefighters and paramedics injured (The Times).
Macron’s critics seized on the unrest ahead of a presidential election in which the centrist president cannot stand again. Marine Le Pen, riding high in the polls, said the troubles showed Macron’s administration was “running on fumes, exhausted and disoriented”, while hard-left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon warned the country could be heading towards “events that will eventually become uncontrollable” (CNA).
Macron said he had asked Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez to “draw all necessary lessons”, particularly on intelligence gathering and anticipation, adding that he expected “clear answers”.
Sources
- Channel NewsAsia / AFP: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/world/france-paris-protest-violence-people-arrested-police-6469426
- The Times: https://www.thetimes.com/world/europe/article/france-protests-paris-students-cost-of-living-latest-news-dbdlgf98v
- AP via Business Mirror: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2026/10/18/clashes-looting-break-out-as-protesters-rally-across-france/
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