A protester in Paris died of cardiac arrest during the protest. The town hall of Limoges, in central-western France, was devastated: the fire was contained but the roof collapsed during the clashes. Interior Minister Nunez announced that throughout France "one thousand eight hundred people have been arrested and investigations are underway to identify those responsible for these acts and bring them to justice". This evening at 7pm Prime Minister Lecornu will preside over a crisis unit
The damage and injuries are being counted in the aftermath of the protests against the high cost of living in France, which resulted in violent clashes with the police. At least 1800 people were arrested throughout the country, as announced by the Minister of the Interior, Laurent Nunez: "One thousand and eight hundred people - wrote the minister - have been arrested and investigations are underway to identify those responsible for these acts and bring them to justice". Furthermore, he added, "over 500 people including policemen, gendarmes and firefighters were injured, involved in these episodes of violence". In Paris alone, 855 people were stopped: a record number according to what the French police reported. The protests, organized against the increase in the cost of living and to denounce the shortcomings of the school system, involved over 800 thousand people across the country. In several cities, including the capital, the demonstrations were marked by clashes with the police, fires and looting of shops. This evening at 8pm, as announced by the Elysée, French President Emmanuel Macron will give a speech to the nation.
Government convenes crisis unit
Meanwhile, from Palazzo Matignon they have made it known that Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu will chair an inter-ministerial crisis unit this evening at 7pm. Following the looting and damage to shops in several French cities, the meeting will focus on three areas: "economy and trade", "insurance" and "judicial follow-up". Meanwhile, the mayors of the most affected cities, including Paris, Lyon, Marseille and Limoges, have called for concrete commitments from the executive. Interior Minister Nunez will travel to Marseille on Monday 19 October, where on Saturday, he himself said in a post on social media, "acts of violence were committed by several thousand individuals from the far left", who were then "joined by criminals who looted and devastated numerous businesses".
Limoges town hall set on fire and destroyed
The demonstrations and marches against the high cost of living, in addition to Paris, particularly involved Montpellier, Strasbourg, Lille, Bordeaux, Nantes and Marseille. In Limoges the town hall, a 19th century building, was set on fire by a group of violent protesters and was largely destroyed. The fire in the town in central-western France at first light this morning has been contained, as announced by the prefect of the Haute Vienne department, Maurice Barate, quoted by the television broadcaster Lci. However, the roof of the building, which is 143 years old, largely collapsed during the clashes. “It was a wild horde that deliberately set the fire,” Barate said.
A protester died of cardiac arrest
The clashes also caused casualties. A protester who took to the streets yesterday in Paris died of cardiac arrest: the person, whose details were not disclosed, fainted while marching on Boulevard Magenta and died after being rushed to Chateau d'Eau hospital. In Saint-Etienne, in central France, a protester lost his hand to a police grenade. The victim, as confirmed by the prefecture of the Loire department, is said to be a "young adult", in his twenties, who was "seriously injured in one hand" after picking up the grenade with his bare hands.
