In France, during large-scale riots on Saturday, 17 October, about 1,800 people were detained. Some 150 police officers were injured, and firefighters were also among those hurt.
This was reported by Le Figaro, citing data from France’s Ministry of the Interior.
On Saturday, protests against the rising cost of living took place in Paris and other major cities across the country. In many cases, the demonstrations escalated into mass riots. Participants ransacked shops, set cars and buildings on fire, and historic city centres suffered significant damage.
In particular, in the city of Limoges, a fire seriously damaged the city hall building. Firefighting continued throughout the night.
France’s Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu reported 1,200 detentions and 150 injured law enforcement officers. Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin called for an "extremely tough" response to the riots.
- On 17 October in Belgium, protests in Brussels and Liège escalated into clashes with police. In the capital, demonstrators set rubbish alight, damaged property, and smashed the windows of the headquarters of the Brussels branch of the Socialist Party. Law enforcement used tear gas and detained around ten people. In Liège, a water cannon was used to disperse protesters.