Half A Million People Took To The Streets In France: Riots Broke Out In Cities
- 18.10.2026, 8:08
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A 19th-century city hall burned down in Limoges.
In France, at least 550,000 people took to the streets on October 17 to protest rising prices. Amid the demonstrations, riots broke out in several cities: in Limoges, the 19th-century city hall was set on fire, and about 400 people were arrested.
This was reported by Le Monde.
According to the French Ministry of the Interior, 550,000 people took part in the protests, including 110,000 in Paris. Organizers put the figure at 800,000. The protests were primarily made up of high school and college students, who were joined by the “Yellow Vests,” labor unions, and political activists.
The peaceful marches gave way to riots in the evening. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez stated that far-left groups were behind the riots, as well as “opportunistic criminals” who took advantage of the chaos.
What Was Destroyed
Limoges—protesters smashed the windows of City Hall, broke in, and set it on fire. The building, constructed in 1883 and modeled after the Paris City Hall, has been largely destroyed: the roof collapsed, and two-thirds of the facade are gone. The prefect called it “a catastrophe for our heritage.”
Bordeaux—rioters broke into the prefect’s residence, set the courtyard on fire, and ransacked the premises. The RAID special police unit was called in. On the main shopping street, a Decathlon store was looted and set on fire; the blaze spread to a nearby house.
Marseille, Lille, Calais, Angers—attempts were made to storm city halls.
Lyon—the tourist office burned down.
Paris—Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire stated that entire streets had been “methodically ransacked.”
Stores were also looted in Strasbourg, Rouen, Nantes, Rennes, Toulouse, and other cities.
Casualties
According to the Ministry of the Interior, 60 law enforcement officers were injured; two were taken to the hospital unconscious. In Saint-Étienne, a 17-year-old protester had his arm torn off by a police grenade that he had picked up from the ground. The incident is being investigated by the police inspectorate.
Authorities’ response
“Those who vandalized, attacked prefectures and stores, and even looted city halls will be prosecuted and punished,” said French President Emmanuel Macron.
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu convened a crisis committee. Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin instructed prosecutors to seek the arrest of those involved in the riots. At the same time, the authorities do not plan to declare a state of emergency.
The opposition is shifting blame onto one another. The leader of “Unbowed France,” Jean-Luc Mélenchon accused the police of “organizing the unrest,” while Marine Le Pen blamed the “most rebellious” elements for pushing the country toward chaos.
The unions are calling for the protests to continue. The next nationwide strike has been scheduled for November 5.
The protests in France began in mid-September at a high school in Créteil, a suburb of Paris. There, teachers and students spoke out against funding shortages and a lack of teachers. Within a few weeks, the movement had spread to hundreds of schools across the country, and high school students were joined by college students blocking access to universities.
Young people are demanding that 10 billion euros be allocated to high schools and that Parcoursup—the government platform for university admissions—be abolished. At its peak, on October 6, nearly 800 high schools were closed, and on October 13, 480,000 people took to the streets. The anger was fueled by the police’s harsh treatment of students.
At the same time, a call to protest on October 17 against the high cost of living and rising fuel prices spread on TikTok and was picked up by supporters of the “Yellow Vests.” As a result, high school and college students, as well as labor unions, took to the streets that day.
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