Macron vows united response to unrest as France reports 400 arrests

French President Emmanuel Macron has vowed to unite against those responsible for violence and destruction during demonstrations across France, as the interior minister said about 400 people had been arrested and dozens of police officers injured.

Macron wrote on X that people involved in vandalism and looting would be prosecuted and punished. He said authorities would form “a bloc against those who sow chaos” and seek to overthrow institutions, while protecting the right of peaceful demonstrators to make their demands heard, according to the French news agency ANP. [1]

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu also called for authorities to prevent further unrest, protect people and property, and bring offenders before the courts. He was in crisis talks at the Interior Ministry, ANP reported.

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez told BFMTV that around 400 people had been arrested by Saturday evening, most of them adults, and that about 60 officers had been injured. Two were taken to hospital unconscious. Nuñez put the number of demonstrators at 550,000; protest groups had earlier estimated between 500,000 and 800,000, ANP reported. [1]

The demonstrations, which drew hundreds of thousands of people protesting against the French government, turned violent in several major cities. ANP reported arson, looting and attacks on security forces, as well as attempted break-ins at town halls in Marseille, Lille, Calais and Angers. Shops were damaged and looted in cities including Bordeaux, Marseille and Paris. By 8pm, demonstrators were reported to be trying to enter the Galeries Lafayette department store in Paris. [1]