Paris police say 855 arrests after violent clashes and looting during protests

The Story

Paris police said 855 people were arrested in the French capital region after violent groups clashed with officers and looted shops during a protest march on Saturday.

Police said violent clashes, fires and looting affected demonstrations across France. They said groups of masked protesters targeted public buildings, including city halls and local government offices.

In Paris, damage was reported around Place de la République on Sunday morning, with dislodged cobblestones and shattered storefronts and broken glass marking the aftermath. Police said looting and damage also occurred around the square and in other tourist and shopping areas in the city centre.

Authorities said the protest march that passed through Paris was attended by about 110,000 people. They said about 550,000 people took part in protests across France, while organizers counted about 800,000.

Paris police said one person died of a heart attack, without providing further details. They also said 13 police and gendarmerie officers and two firefighters were injured.

Police said unauthorized marches in central Paris involved groups ranging from several hundred to more than 1,000 people. “By late afternoon, a new phase began with the arrival of large numbers of people whose sole aim was to steal and loot, taking advantage of the unrest,” police said.

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu and Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said some of the violence was linked to “radical far-left groups,” and that others later joined to loot. Lecornu said in a message posted on X, “Peaceful demonstrations have every place in our Republic. Arson, looting and attacks do not.”

French media reported a protester suffered a medical emergency in the street during the march.

The mayors of Paris, Marseille and Lyon requested a meeting with the prime minister in the coming days, citing the extent of the damage and the seriousness of the situation.

In Marseille, some protesters briefly forced their way into the lobby of City Hall and a police station was damaged. In Lyon, a fire broke out inside a tourist office. In Limoges, city hall was set on fire, gutting the 19th-century building and collapsing the roof.