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Weeks of student-led demonstrations over conditions in schools spiraled into violent unrest across the country

Some of the worst riots in France’s recent history swept across the country last weekend, as weeks of student-led protests escalated into nationwide demonstrations marred by widespread violence and destruction that left hundreds injured and more than 2,000 people under arrest.

Partial curfews imposed in some cities have helped quell the disorder for now. More protests are planned for Saturday, Oct. 24.

Here’s what to know.

What are the demonstrations in France about?

The wave of rioting, arson and looting followed a series of student-led demonstrations over conditions in the country’s schools. Those protests broadened into a wider movement across society against the rising cost of living, cuts to public spending and dissatisfaction with a government that has little bandwidth to respond. France is struggling to contain its public debt as pressure on household budgets and public services deepens. Students have demanded greater investment in education, while other protesters have raised concerns over wages, pensions and living standards.

Who’s been demonstrating?

France is no stranger to mass protests, but the scale of the violence this time has been extraordinary.

The government has blamed organized radical left groups for instigating much of the violence, accusing militants of deliberately attacking police officers and government buildings. Officials say opportunistic criminals then took advantage of the chaos to loot stores and vandalize property. Supporters of the gilets jaunes, or yellow vests, have also joined the protests. That movement’s stand against fuel taxes in 2018 developed into a broader revolt over economic inequality.

Authorities have acknowledged shortcomings in the police response. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said security forces were insufficiently deployed to contain the unrest and that police had lost control of the situation in several major cities.

What damage has been done?

Rioters damaged or looted at least 3,000 businesses across France over the weekend of Oct. 17-18, according to government estimates. The French retail federation estimated losses running into hundreds of millions of dollars. Rioters from Paris to Bordeaux targeted supermarkets, electronics retailers, banks and luxury boutiques.

The violence also caused extensive damage to historic and public buildings, including the 19th-century town hall in Limoges, a town in central France known for its porcelain. Across the country, rioters also torched vehicles, erected barricades and damaged bus shelters, street furniture and other public infrastructure.

Who has been arrested over the riots?

More than 2,500 people were taken into police custody nationwide after the weekend unrest. About 95% were male and 70% were adults, with some suspects as young as 13. Many were already known to police or judicial authorities.

Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin said on French TV network CNEWS that those involved came from a range of backgrounds. Police have arrested immigrants and French nationals, he said.

What is Macron’s government doing about it?

Authorities have imposed partial curfews in several cities, including Paris, Lyon, Lille, Nice and Marseille, to prevent further violence and looting. The restrictions, some of which apply only to minors, have coincided with a return to relative calm. In Marseille, authorities have extended a nighttime curfew to adults in designated areas over the coming weekend.

President Emmanuel Macron’s government has also moved to ban or restrict some demonstrations ahead of further planned protests. Authorities have prohibited gatherings in Marseille, Lyon, Nice and parts of Lille, while allowing a union-organized march in Paris.

The government has promised a tougher crackdown on rioters and plans to deploy 20% more police and gendarmes than last weekend, backed by soldiers, elite tactical units, armored vehicles and water cannons. Soldiers from Opération Sentinelle, France’s domestic counterterrorism mission, will also guard sensitive sites, freeing police and gendarmes to focus on crowd control.

Meanwhile, authorities are continuing to pursue those responsible for the violence so far. Lecornu has promised further arrests as police comb through footage of the riots. In the Paris region alone, some 200 investigators have been assigned to examine security camera footage and videos posted on social media.

What has the opposition said?

The riots have sparked a political blame game, with opposition leaders on the right and left accusing Macron’s government of failing to contain the violence, while clashing over who bears responsibility.

Far-right leader Marine Le Pen has accused the government of losing control of the country, describing the unrest as evidence of a deep crisis of authority. She has blamed radical-left militants and looters, accusing Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s France Unbowed party of helping fuel the disorder. Jordan Bardella, president of Le Pen’s National Rally party, has also linked the violence to immigration, claiming that many of the looters came from foreign backgrounds and calling for a halt to immigration.

Mélenchon, the veteran radical-left politician, has rejected accusations that his party encouraged the violence. He has condemned looting and vandalism while accusing the government of inflaming tensions through its policing tactics and failure to address protesters’ demands over wages, education and public services.

How are markets reacting to the protests?

French borrowing costs—already the highest among the big economies in Europe —soared after the protests.

The yield on 10-year French government bonds briefly climbed above 5% for the first time in 24 years this week, as the riots added to concern about the country’s fiscal and political woes.

Are more protests planned?

Further nationwide protests are planned for Saturday, Oct. 24, with student organizations and yellow-vest activists separately calling for renewed demonstrations over education conditions and the rising cost of living. Trade unions have also called for strikes on Nov. 5. Authorities have warned that additional curfews could be imposed to prevent further outbreaks of violence.

Is this the same as yellow vest protests?

Not quite. Yellow-vest activists helped mobilize Saturday’s demonstrations, tapping in to renewed anger over fuel prices and affordability. But unlike in 2018, the latest wave of unrest began with student protests over deteriorating conditions in schools, before expanding to include trade unions, left-wing activists and other groups dissatisfied with the government.

The result is a more diverse and loosely organized protest movement. It remains unclear whether the disparate groups can sustain the mobilization that made the original yellow-vest movement such a challenge for Macron.

Is it safe to travel to France?

The State Department’s travel advice, last updated in May, says those going to France should avoid demonstrations, which it adds are common in the country and on rare occasions turn violent. The official advisory remains at Level 2, “Exercise Increased Caution.” It warns that police may use tear gas and water cannons to disperse violent crowds.