French Interior Minister Admits Police Lost Control During Protests

French police faced criticism after violent protests erupted across the country over the weekend. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez admitted on Monday that authorities “lost control” during the demonstrations, which drew around half a million participants.

The protests, which began as a response to rising living costs, turned chaotic, with reports of looting and vandalism in major cities. Nunez noted that over 2,500 people were arrested, and nearly 1,000 police officers were injured. One protester suffered severe injuries from a police crowd-control grenade.

President Emmanuel Macron responded by calling for a review of security measures. He rejected Nunez’s resignation, emphasizing the need for continued leadership in law enforcement. Macron instructed Nunez to improve operational methods for police to better handle such situations in the future.

Looting continued into Sunday, with Paris Mayor Emmanuel Gregoire reporting that about 30 shops were targeted the previous day. Nationwide, police arrested more than 2,300 individuals over the weekend, with a significant portion being adults.

The damage from the protests is expected to reach hundreds of millions of euros, affecting over 2,000 shops across France. Macron condemned the violence, stating that local authorities might ban certain rallies if necessary, but he did not impose drastic measures like a state of emergency.