Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Limoges…: images of scenes of violence and scenes during the demonstrations of October 17

Scenes of chaos in Paris, Lyon, Marseille and Bordeaux, but also in Limoges. The day of mobilization of October 17 against the high cost of living was marked by an outbreak of violence, ransacking and looting.

Former “yellow vest”, student, high school student… Demonstrators with varied profiles mobilized on Saturday in several cities in France to make their demands heard. The CGT had released an initial estimate of 500,000 participants at 5 p.m., but announced in the evening that it was now aligning itself with the figure of 800,000 participants retained by youth organizations, including the Student Union, and a “yellow vest” site after “the rises of several large cities, notably Montpellier, Strasbourg, Lille, Bordeaux, Nantes and Marseille”.

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In Paris, despite the tear gas, vehicle fires, clashes and looting that shook the capital, thousands of demonstrators managed to march in a certain calm to try to make their support for young people and their demands on purchasing power heard.

More than 270 arrests in the country

The Ministry of the Interior reported significant mobilization in processions in Lyon, Nantes and Rennes, 400 arrests at the national level and “particularly serious facts”, as in Marseille and Lyon.

Around 550,000 people demonstrated in France on Saturday, including 110,000 in Paris. Speaking to the press, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez, who counted 110 parades, argued that on the sidelines of the processions, “groups of rioters had formed – several hundred, sometimes several thousand depending on the location – at the very clear instigation of the ultra-left”.

Laurent Nuñez also estimated that “opportunity offenders” had taken advantage “to attack businesses” and “loot” them.

LIVE - Demonstrations of October 17: an outbreak of violence, scenes of chaos and looting, “we will not let ourselves be intimidated”, says Sébastien Lecornu

A branch of the Lyon tourist office burned down

Several dozen demonstrators briefly entered the hall of Marseille town hall, overturning a bust of Marianne and breaking furniture, violence in the face of which the mayor of the city indicated that he had obtained police reinforcements after a telephone exchange with Emmanuel Macron.

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In Lille, demonstrators forced several entrances to the town hall and some managed to gain entry by ransacking part of the premises before quickly fleeing. A few minutes later, riot police entered the building to check that no more demonstrators were there. Around 4:30 p.m., the access to the town hall was now protected by police officers.

A branch of the Lyon tourist office was ransacked and set on fire on the sidelines of the movement. Firefighters were prevented from gaining access. The arson occurred on one side of Place Bellecour where groups of hooded young people were throwing projectiles and fireworks against the police, who responded with tear gas and stun grenades. The police also used a water cannon against demonstrators and hooded individuals.