“We all feel angry and ashamed. Looking at these images, everyone asks themselves: What is going through their minds? Why would French people do this to France?” President Emmanuel Macron said in a televised address on the evening of 18/10, referring to the damage from a wave of riots in the capital Paris and several major cities the day before.

President Macron affirmed his firm resolve to prosecute those suspected of inciting violence, pledging not to conflate peaceful protesters with legitimate demands and groups causing unrest and looting.

President Emmanuel Macron speaks on the evening of 18/10. Photo: X/EmmanuelMacron.

He did not declare a state of emergency, as suggested by some right-wing politicians, but stated that local authorities could proactively ban certain gatherings in the coming days if they deem it necessary to protect public buildings and businesses.

The French leader requested the minister of interior to learn lessons, especially in intelligence gathering and situation forecasting.

Around 550,000 to 800,000 people participated in protests across France on 17/10, demonstrating against rising living costs and declining public service quality. Most protesters marched peacefully, but many locations lost control and devolved into riots.

The 143-year-old city hall with its bell tower in Limoges was set on fire. Hundreds of luxury brand stores and supermarkets in Paris, along with cities like Marseille, Bordeaux, Nice, and Strasbourg, were vandalized and looted. According to the French Retail and Trade Federation, around 1,500 businesses were damaged, causing estimated losses of hundreds of millions of EUR.

Minister of interior Laurent Nunez stated that police arrested nearly 2,400 people nationwide. Nearly 1,000 police officers and gendarmes were injured, 7 of them seriously.

In Paris, police continued to clash with protesters, using tear gas to disperse crowds at Place de la Republique on 18/10. Arson, vandalism, and looting persisted.

In Lyon, groups of youths attempted to loot a luxury fashion store but were stopped by police. In Bordeaux, a masked group even stormed the residence of a local official.

Youths vandalize a store at Place de la Republique, Paris, on the night of 18/10. Photo: AFP.

Carrefour retail chain CEO Alexandre Bompard stated that 50 of the company's stores were damaged, with 20 locations looted, resulting in tens of millions of EUR in losses.

French minister of economy Roland Lescure pledged to support affected business owners.

The wave of unrest occurred ahead of France's presidential election next year, as Macron is ineligible for re-election. Left-wing candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon warned that the situation could spiral out of control if social grievances are not addressed.

Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Rally party, argued that France cannot accept violence and destruction becoming an everyday image. She further suggested that the current wave of violence demonstrates the government "is exhausted, out of strength, and directionless".

Thanh Danh (According to AFP, Reuters)