Violent clashes, looting as over 1,800 arrested in France

Paris: At least 1,800 people were arrested during what the French government described as an "escalation in violence" alongside an estimated 5,50,000 taking to the streets.

In Paris, there were significant clashes into the evening with riot police, who used tear gas and water cannon on crowds. Buildings were set alight in the capital and other areas, including in Limoges where a large fire in the town hall caused the roof to partly collapse.

Looting broke out in several cities, with widespread vandalism targeting city halls and businesses also reported. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said 150 police officers were injured in the unrest.

In the French capital, the main march appeared to be largely peaceful during the afternoon. A group of young people told the BBC that they were "pacifists" who were "just trying to make things change, but nothing is moving". However, as the day wore on some groups lit fires in the street and torched vehicles, including in iconic locations in the city centre like the Place de la République. Shops were ransacked, at least one restaurant was gutted by fire, and the BBC saw fighting breaking out among some of the groups. Riot police were seen charging at one crowd in central Paris and hitting several people with batons.

In Lyon, Mayor Grégory Doucet said the burning of the city's tourist office was "a tragedy", telling BFMTV "it breaks our hearts because it's a very iconic, well-known historic building". Local police said "hostile individuals" prevented firefighters from safely tackling the blaze.

Fire crews also battled the fire at Limoges town hall, which the local prefecture said caused part of the building to collapse.

A young man "had his hand blown off" by a small explosive in Saint-Étienne, the south-eastern city's Mayor Régis Juanico said on social media, adding: "Such a tragedy should never have happened." Hundreds of thousands of students have protested in recent weeks over staff shortages and dilapidated facilities in the country's lycées - secondary schools attended by 15- to 18-year-olds.

Their numbers have been bolstered by trade union members and other protest groups. These groups include the so-called gilets jaunes (or "yellow vest") movement, which demonstrated against cost-of-living hikes for more than a year from 2018 - becoming one of the longest-lived protest movements in French history.

France's Interior Ministry said Saturday's protests involved "targeted acts of violence" from "hooded individuals" in places, including parts of the capital and also Marseille, Rennes, Toulouse and Angers.

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