PARIS — France awoke Sunday to shattered shopfronts, burnt-out cars and debris scattered across major cities after Saturday's protests turned violent, leaving nearly 1,800 arrested and more than 500 police officers injured.
About 550,000 demonstrators took to the streets to protest rising fuel prices, inflation and deteriorating public services. In Paris, Marseille, Lille and other urban centers, groups of rioters in black clothing and masks set fire to vehicles and buildings, looted designer stores and clashed with police.
In Paris, storefronts of Ralph Lauren, Gucci and Versace were smashed. In Lille, a McDonald's was set ablaze and an Apple store was broken into, police confirmed. The Retail and Trade Federation said approximately 1,500 shops sustained damage.
Riot police deployed tear gas and water cannons against crowds in central Paris, with some officers using batons against protesters. France's interior ministry said more than 500 police officers, gendarmes and firefighters were injured.
In Marseille, rioters used a metal fence to breach city hall. Graffiti reading "tax the rich" and "eat the rich" marked damaged storefronts across the city.
Paris resident Mehmet Ozeden told AFP the aftermath resembled a war zone. Another resident, Anita GrasIt, described seeing "groups of young people smashing everything, with total impunity."
Looting appeared opportunistic rather than ideological. A clothes shop owner told the BBC he watched on CCTV for over 90 minutes as looters ransacked his store without police intervention. Looters carried supermarket baskets filled with stolen goods.
By Sunday morning, shopkeepers began clearing debris. Rubbish trucks cleared major streets in Paris as residents assessed the damage.
