PARIS — Clashes between police and protesters, arson and widespread looting erupted in cities across France on Saturday as demonstrations over the rising cost of living escalated into violence.
The unrest followed weeks of student protests and added to political uncertainty in France, six months before a presidential election expected to determine President Emmanuel Macron’s successor.
Paris Mayor Emmanuel Gregoire said several streets in the capital had been damaged after masked youths set fire to parked cars and looted shops. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said late Saturday that 1,200 people had been arrested and 150 police officers injured.
France’s Interior Ministry estimated that around 550,000 people took part in demonstrations in Paris and other cities. The CGT trade union, which participated in the protests, put the turnout at 800,000.
Police fired tear gas and used water cannon to disperse protesters, who threw objects and other dangerous projectiles at officers. In the southern city of Saint-Etienne, a 17-year-old boy suffered an injury to his right hand from a police dispersal grenade.
During and after the demonstrations, groups of youths moved through city streets, repeatedly clashing with police. Some set fire to closed shops, smashed windows and entered businesses to steal goods.
The unrest has intensified pressure on the French government as it confronts public anger over living costs and broader economic concerns ahead of the presidential election.
