Macron vows to hold accountable those who "sought to bring down the Republic" after France riots

French President Emmanuel Macron addressed the nation at 8 PM Paris time on October 18 (02:00 on October 19 in Ulaanbaatar), condemning the rioting and looting that broke out during weekend protests against the rising cost of living. According to FRANCE 24, Macron said "nothing justifies" the "unbridled" violence, adding: "Tonight, we all feel anger and shame."

The president said protesters' legitimate demands must be distinguished from the actions of "those who destroyed, smashed, and looted", and declared: "Those who looted will have to pay back for the damage, and those who sought to bring down the Republic will be held accountable." He blamed the violence on "insurrectionist elements from radical far-left groups, joined by numerous criminals." Macron promised "full transparency" over the police response and asked Interior Minister Laurent Nunez to "draw all necessary lessons" on intelligence and anticipation.

Arrests and damage

Interior Minister Nunez said more than 1,800 people had been arrested, while FRANCE 24 reported that more than 2,300 people were arrested over the weekend. More than 600 law enforcement officers were injured, according to DW. In Paris alone, a record 855 people were arrested, of whom 517 were taken into custody, including 171 minors.

The interior ministry put nationwide turnout at 550,000, including 110,000 in Paris, while the CGT union estimated 800,000 participants. The town hall in Limoges was gutted by fire, and Le Figaro reported that a 17-year-old lost a hand after being hit by a police grenade in Saint-Etienne.

Political reactions

Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Rally, called the riots a "threat to democracy", while Jean-Luc Mélenchon of France Unbowed urged protesters to stay away from looting. US President Donald Trump linked the unrest to immigration in a post on Truth Social.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote on X on October 18 that "Poland will not repeat the mistakes of other European countries, nor will it pay for them", setting out his commitment to defend the border, keep Poland's own asylum policy and deport foreigners who break the law, and adding: "On security, we will be uncompromising." Poland's TVN24 noted, however, that there are no reliable sources on whether migrants were behind the violence in France.

Mongolian users also shared news and views on X about the riots in France and the reactions of European leaders.

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