Massive protests across France, sparked by anger over soaring living costs and fuel prices, turned violent, resulting in widespread devastation as public buildings were torched and stores looted. In the capital, Paris, and other major cities, the chaos left behind shattered facilities and debris scattered across the streets long after the demonstrations subsided.

According to Reuters and AFP on the 18th (local time), the nationwide protests the previous day saw storefront windows smashed in central Paris, alongside arson and looting in various locations.

The protests initially began last month as high school students demanded improvements to poor educational conditions. They quickly escalated into nationwide anti-government demonstrations as workers and civic groups joined the cause. Frustrations over surging living costs and fuel prices drew in participants from the "Yellow Vest" movement, which had previously erupted in 2018 against fuel tax hikes.

On the 17th, the number of demonstrators across France reached 550,000 according to Interior Ministry estimates, and 800,000 according to the General Confederation of Labour (CGT), a major labor union. While the vast majority of protests proceeded peacefully, some radical groups attacked public buildings and shops, transforming the event into a massive civil disturbance.

French authorities reported that the number of arrests related to the protests initially exceeded 1,800 and rose to 2,400 by the 18th. Authorities are currently investigating those detained for involvement in illegal acts.

In Paris, one participant suffered a cardiac arrest and died during the demonstrations. Officials stated that the cause of death was health-related and entirely unrelated to clashes among protesters.

Reuters reported that while hundreds of thousands peacefully marched across dozens of French cities, radical factions attacked public buildings, looted luxury boutiques and supermarkets, and targeted police vehicles and officers.

In Paris, some protesters attempted to break into the Champs-Élysées district, home to dense clusters of luxury goods stores, while store windows and urban facilities were shattered across downtown.

Damage also hit other regions hard. In Bordeaux, a crowd of masked individuals broke into the official residence of a local government head, while a 143-year-old city hall building in Limoges suffered severe damage from arson. In Marseille, protesters forced their way into the city hall, triggering violent unrest.

Commercial damages reached substantial proportions. French retail giant Carrefour reported that 50 of its stores nationwide sustained damage, with 20 of them looted. Across France, approximately 1,500 retail businesses were affected, with estimated damages reaching hundreds of millions of euros.

Reuters noted that these demonstrations have escalated into one of the worst bouts of civil unrest France has seen in years. Tjeerd de Boer, a Dutch entrepreneur visiting Paris, told AFP, "It looks like a war zone here."

French President Emmanuel Macron strongly condemned the violent incidents. Macron stated, "There is no place for violence in our Republic," adding, "We will stand united against those who seek to sow chaos and undermine those wishing to express their demands peacefully."

However, analysts noted that the vast majority of participants expressed their views peacefully. Mujtaba Rahman, an analyst at the think tank Eurasia Group, posted on social media X that "the vast majority of actual protests" against high fuel prices and poor educational conditions were peaceful.

He analyzed that "the violence came from some extreme-left elements, and the looting was carried out by opportunistic groups from impoverished suburban areas," adding that "all of this is good news for Marine Le Pen."

The large-scale protests that began in France are spreading to neighboring European countries. Protests protesting rising prices were held in Italy—including Rome, Milan, Turin, and Bologna—as well as Lisbon, Portugal. In Liège, eastern Belgium, high school students continued demonstrations demanding improvements to educational conditions.

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