France turns battlefield with fire-looting-clashes, arrests crossed 1,200

France has become turbulent with intense protests centering on the increase in the cost of living and the crisis of secondary schools. The protests in various cities of the country on Saturday turned into violence at one stage. In the language of the government, about five and a half lakh people took to the streets on the day of extensive deterioration of violence. The police have arrested at least 1,200 people on the allegation of being involved in the violence. British media BBC has informed this news.

Although peaceful processions continued throughout the day in the capital Paris, clashes between the riot police and the protesters started in the evening. The police used tear gas and water cannons to bring the situation under control. The agitated persons set fire to various buildings of the city. Besides setting fire on the roads in the historic Place de la République area several vehicles were also set on fire. Vandalism was carried out in the shops. At least one restaurant was burnt in the fire.

Violence also spread to various cities outside Paris including Limoges, Lyon, Marseille, Rennes, Toulouse and Angers. After fire broke out at the town hall of Limoges a part of the roof of the building collapsed. Mayor of Lyon Gregory Doucet mentioned the incident of arson at the historic tourist office of the city as heartbreaking. The police informed that the fire service workers could not work safely there due to the obstruction of the protesters.

Mayor of Saint-Etienne city Regis Juanau has informed that a young man has lost his hand after a small explosive exploded in his hand in the city. In Grenoble a group of masked protesters drove a small tourist train towards the riot police. An Apple shop was broken and goods were looted in Lille city.

Prime Minister of France Sebastien Lecornu has informed that at least 150 police members have been injured in the violence. Mentioning that the police had to face intense violence he said, “No one will be able to impose their political agenda through violence.”

For the last few weeks lakhs of students have been protesting against the shortage of teachers-staff and dilapidated infrastructure in the secondary schools of the country for those aged 15 to 18 years. Later when the trade unions and the ‘Yellow Vest’ protesters who have been moving since 2018 joined this the protest took a larger form.

The ongoing violence is pushing France towards political uncertainty. The term of President Emmanuel Macron is scheduled to end next year. It has been said in the report that the main contest may take place between the leader of the right-wing National Rally Marine Le Pen and Jean-Luc Mélenchon of the left-wing La France Insoumise party in the presidential election to be held in April next year.

Participating in the protest Jean-Luc Mélenchon blamed the police for instigating the protesters. However he condemned the arson and looting. Prime Minister Lecornu termed his statement as ‘risky and opportunistic’. On the other hand Marine Le Pen alleged that the hardcore leftists are fuelling the violence by holding the rational demands of the protesters hostage.

President Emmanuel Macron has warned that the persons involved in attacks on administrative offices and business establishments, vandalism of town halls and looting will be brought under trial and punished.

To handle the situation Education Minister Édouard Geffray had promised to recruit 3,000 additional teachers in a television interview on last October 8. However the protest did not stop with this; rather it became more intense.