Macron to address nation after riots and looting lead to 1,800 arrests across France

PARIS — Police arrested at least 1,800 people across France after violent groups clashed with officers and looted shops during nationwide demonstrations that drew hundreds of thousands protesting rising living costs and poor conditions in schools.

President Emmanuel Macron was due to hold an emergency meeting with senior government officials on Sunday before addressing the nation at 8 p.m., his office said.

Masked groups set fires and attacked public buildings, including city halls, in several cities on Saturday, authorities said. In the central city of Limoges, flames engulfed the 19th-century City Hall, causing its roof to collapse and nearly destroying the building.

Hundreds of protesters gathered again Sunday at the Place de la République in Paris amid a heavy police presence. Officers used tear gas as tensions flared sporadically.

“The right to protest is a fundamental right. Deliberately and collectively sowing disorder through violence is not,” Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez wrote on X, citing the looting of hundreds of businesses in cities including Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Bordeaux.

About 550,000 people took part in protests across France, according to authorities, while organizers put the figure at about 800,000. Demonstrators answered calls from a labor union, student organizations and activists hoping…

Original source: https://www.nbcnews.com/world