French Interior Minister Admits Police Lost Control During Violent Protests

French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez admitted Monday that police lost control during nationwide protests that turned violent over the weekend. President Emmanuel Macron rejected Mr. Nunez's offer to resign while acknowledging failures in government security and intelligence.

The Violence And Arrests

Saturday's demonstrations brought out around half a million people across France to protest the cost of living. The crowds morphed into severe violence, leading to town halls and shops being looted and set ablaze. More than 2,500 people were arrested overall over the weekend. Almost 1,000 security force members suffered injuries, and protesters also reported injuries, including one demonstrator whose hand was blown off by a police crowd-control grenade. Looting continued into Sunday, with Paris Mayor Emmanuel Gregoire stating that about 30 shops were targeted in the capital.

Official Response

Mr. Nunez admitted to a lack of anticipation in deploying security forces on Saturday, noting that numbers were not enough to handle rioters and looters. Around 60,000 law enforcement personnel were deployed nationwide that day. Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin stated that more than 2,330 people were taken into police custody over the weekend. Chamber of commerce president Alain Di Crescenzo said over 2,000 shops were affected, with damage costing hundreds of millions of euros. President Macron addressed the nation Sunday evening to condemn the violence and announced that local authorities can ban certain rallies if needed, though he did not declare a state of emergency or curfew.

Context

France has a long history of large street demonstrations and labor protests turning confrontational when fringe groups clash with security forces. Government responses to such civil unrest typically balance the constitutional right to protest with the need to protect public property and maintain law and order. Major property damage during nationwide demonstrations often places heavy pressure on government officials and police leadership to review intelligence and operational tactics.