French prime minister Sebastien Lecornu called for curfews across France on Monday following a weekend of unrest as up to 800,000 people took to the streets to demand urgent reforms.
The beleaguered head of government said following a crisis meeting that he had asked prefectures and regional governments to put in place “partial curfews” in response to the mounting demonstrations.
While hundreds of thousands protested peacefully across France on Saturday, violent fringe groups targeted public buildings, looted luxury boutiques and supermarkets, and attacked police vehicles and officers.
Lecornu blamed the violence on what he called the “ultra-left” and accused “criminal elements” of being behind the violence. He said there was “currently an issue with the far-left in Marseille”, which on Monday imposed a ban on public gatherings.
Denain, in the north, also announced a nighttime curfew to last until Sunday, following reported violence over the weekend.
Protesters gather outside Le Louvre to decry public services 'falling apart'
Protesters on Monday blocked entrances to Le Louvre museum in Paris in support of the burgeoning student protest movement gripping France.
A leaflet displayed near the famous art museum read: “We are proud to announce that we are blocking the world’s largest museum.”
French stocks slide after violent protests
French equities led losses in Europe on Monday after one of the worst bouts of protest violence in years over the weekend, while broader sentiment was subdued ahead of a busy week of earnings.
The blue-chip CAC 40 index slid 1.02% after nationwide protests, triggered by rising prices and worsening public services, rocked the euro zone's second-largest economy as it grapples with weak growth and rising debt.
The pan-European STOXX 600 index was down 0.39% to 642.24 points by 0708 GMT after climbing more than 2% the previous week.
Banks fell the most, down 1.4%, with the bank-heavy Spanish benchmark down 0.9%.
Macron: 'How can French people do this to France?'
Emmanuel Macron condemned on Sunday what he called the "dissenters" who looted and vandalised cities in "shocking" scenes across France on the sidelines of protests over the cost of living.
"Looking at these images, we have all asked ourselves: what was going through their minds? How can French people do this to France?" the French president said in a televised address to the nation. "Nothing justifies it, nothing explains it, nothing excuses it. Tonight, we all feel anger and shame."
Macron, whose final six months in office are being shaped by mounting political, fiscal and social pressures, said he had ordered a review to determine whether there had been failings in intelligence gathering or police preparedness before protests that were later marred by looting and violence.
Macron also said he had asked the government to bring together students, teachers, lawmakers, trade union representatives and business leaders this week to formulate what he described as "concrete proposals" to address the crisis, without providing further details.
Teenager loses eye and protester loses hand as scrutiny grows over French police tactics
French authorities have opened investigations into two serious injuries sustained during nationwide protests, as concerns mount over police use of riot-control weapons.
Prosecutors in Mulhouse, eastern France, said a 17-year-old girl lost an eye after being injured during the demonstrations.
A separate investigation was opened on Saturday after a young protester lost a hand in Saint-Etienne.
The circumstances surrounding both injuries remain under investigation.
The incidents have renewed scrutiny of French police tactics, particularly their use of grenades and other crowd-control weapons during demonstrations.
Meanwhile, Paris police said one person died of a heart attack during the unrest. The Paris prosecutor's office is investigating the death.
The European cities facing protests from Paris to Milan as continent gripped by cost of living crisis
Violent protests have broken out across Europe amid growing frustration over the cost of living crisis, a lack of affordable housing and deteriorating school conditions.
As many as 550,000 people turned out across France on Saturday, according to authorities, to demonstrate against declining public services. Protests turned violent in Paris as shops were looted and cars set on fire in some of the city’s worst violence in years.
Young people waved Italian flags and let off flares in Milan as they rallied against rising the rising cost of living in scenes that were condemned by prime minister Giorgia Meloni.
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Trump declares ‘France is burning’ and blames immigration for unrest
US president Donald Trump has weighed in on the violent protests in France, appearing to blame immigration for the widespread rioting and looting.
“France is burning!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, linking the unrest to “the immigration of people from an entirely different world”.
“Close your Borders and take control, before it is too late!” he added.
French authorities and police have not linked immigrants to the violence, which erupted during nationwide demonstrations against rising living costs and poor conditions in schools.
French president Emmanuel Macron instead blamed radical far-left activists and criminals for much of the destruction.
“How can French people do this to France?” Macron asked during his televised address on Sunday
Le Pen accuses Macron government of powerlessness after France riots
French far-right leader Marine Le Pen has launched a scathing attack on Emmanuel Macron's government following violent nationwide protests that left thousands arrested.
Le Pen, a presidential hopeful, described the centrist government as “exhausted, disoriented and seemingly incapable of doing anything other than commenting on its own powerlessness”.
Her remarks came as political leaders traded accusations over the unrest ahead of next spring's presidential election.
Far-left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon also criticised prime minister Sébastien Lecornu, accusing him of “playing with fire”.
Mélenchon, who participated in Saturday's Paris march, distanced his supporters from the violence.
“My message is clear: those who share our fight have no business in looting or destruction,” he said.
Marseille imposes ban on public gatherings for Monday after violent protests
Marseille imposed a ban on public gatherings and demonstrations for most of Monday, according to an edict issued by the local administration, after the city was hit by violent protests and looting over the weekend.
The ban will take effect from midday until 8pm local time.
Weekend catch-up: Government 'will not yield' as buildings set alight
French president Emmanuel Macron on Monday declined his interior minister Laurent Nunez’s offer to resign following a weekend of widespread rioting.
Macron on Sunday condemned what he called the “dissenters” who looted and vandalised cities in “shocking” scenes across the country.
He said he had ordered a review to determine whether there had been failings in intelligence gathering or police preparedness before the protests, and said prefects and mayors would have extra powers to ban gatherings where necessary.
Nunez said that “the Republic will not yield” as more than 1,800 people were arrested. More than 500 police officers, gendarmes and firefighters were injured.
Authorities said as many as 550,000 people took to the streets on Saturday, with 110,000 in Paris alone. Organisers claimed total figures of around 800,000. Sunday did not see similar incidents.
French PM Sebastien Lecornu holds crisis meeting on violent protests
French prime minister Sebastien Lecornu is holding a crisis meeting in Paris on the protests sweeping the country.
President Macron arrived in Kuwait on Monday for a Gulf tour that will see visits to the UAE, Bahrain and Qatar.