Hundreds of French protesters arrested as tensions flare over rising cost of living

WorldPolitics
18 Oct 2026 • 3:42 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

Hundreds of French protesters arrested as tensions flare over rising cost of living

  • Violent clashes have broken out across France as tens of thousands protest against rising living costs and declining public services, resulting in more than 1,200 arrests nationwide.
  • Protesters vandalised and set fire to public buildings, causing the roof of Limoges town hall to collapse and targeting municipal premises in Lyon and Marseille.
  • The Interior Ministry blamed far-left elements for inciting disorder, while President Emmanuel Macron warned there is no place for violence and vowed perpetrators will be punished.
  • Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu reported that over 900 police officers have been injured, while the police watchdog investigates at least two dozen allegations of police violence.
  • The unrest, partly coordinated by the Yellow Vest movement across hundreds of locations nationwide, has also sparked related student protests in Belgium and Albania.

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