The French Minister of the Interior admits that the police have “lost control” in some cities

France has experienced one of the worst weekends of violence in its recent history. Saturday’s demonstrations, in which students protested against the cuts to education set out in the national budget, overcrowded classrooms and a shortage of teachers, whilst the majority of non-students took to the streets to protest against rising living costs, turned into clashes with the police, with vandalism, damage and looting occurring in many French cities. In Paris alone, 997 law enforcement officers were injured, seven of them seriously, and the police arrested 2,397 people, of whom 2,331 were still ‘in custody’ at 8 am on Monday morning. In Limoges, the town hall was set alight. The Neo-Renaissance-style building, designed by the architect Charles-Alfred Leclerc and modelled on Paris Town Hall, had served as the temporary headquarters of the Belgian government as it fled the Nazi occupation in 1940.

On Sunday evening, President Emmanuel Macron condemned the violence, but drew a distinction: “We must never confuse the demonstrators with those who have caused destruction, unrest and looting. Our young people feel a deep sense of anxiety about their future and their ability to find their place in society. I understand our secondary school pupils and our students, and they are at the heart of my public commitment. Their voices must be heard. Our responsibility is twofold: to listen to their anger and to ensure that republican order is firmly upheld.”

The French Minister of the Interior, Laurent Nunez, has admitted that the police “lost control” in some cities during the violent demonstrations that broke out across the country at the weekend. He spoke of a “lack of foresight” in the preparations and announced that he had tendered his resignation to President Emmanuel Macron, “as I felt responsible for everything that happened”. The President did not accept it.

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has blamed the violence on the “far left” and criminal groups. US President Donald Trump has seized the opportunity to fan the flames of anti-migrant sentiment. “France is burning! Immigration of people from a completely different world, people who harbour hatred in their hearts, has destroyed this once-great country,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. “Close the borders and take back control, before it’s too late!” Trump added.