France reels after ‘unprecedented’ violent riots

{"text":[[{"start":7.2,"text":"France was reeling on Sunday from a night of riots after peaceful protests were overtaken by what officials called “unprecedented” levels of violence and ransacking of stores and urban landmarks in major cities. "}],[{"start":20.2,"text":"At least 1,800 people have been arrested so far nationwide, the interior ministry said on Sunday, with 855 in Paris alone, which a police official said was a record for the city in one day. Some 500 police and firefighters were injured. "}],[{"start":37.75,"text":"The violence comes six months ahead of a highly uncertain election to succeed President Emmanuel Macron, piling pressure on the government, which has been grappling with student protests over conditions in high schools while trying to pass a budget for next year in the face of bond market jitters about France’s ability to rein in its deficit."}],[{"start":57.55,"text":"The fresh crisis spiralled as police on Saturday struggled to contain attacks on businesses and official buildings such as city halls and police stations from Marseille to Paris, Bordeaux and Lyon."}],[{"start":69.8,"text":"Thousands of black-clad and masked rioters hijacked broader peaceful protests by students and people marching nationwide against the high cost of living. Some 550,000 demonstrators are estimated to have turned out overall. "}],[{"start":84.55,"text":"The scale of the destruction became clear on Sunday morning after clashes had subsided. The interiors of pharmacies and supermarkets were reduced to rubble in some parts of central Paris. Luxury storefronts were smashed in and hundreds of shops nationwide, from video games outlets to tobacco shops, were looted. "}],[{"start":105.3,"text":"Rioters burned down the historic city hall in Limoges, and police clashed with rioters throwing projectiles and burning bins and cars throughout Saturday evening in central Paris. "}],[{"start":null,"text":"

"}],[{"start":115.5,"text":"“We’ve never seen this wave of violence, it was completely unprecedented,” said Étienne Guyot, the prefect — an appointed government representative — for the Rhône region that includes Lyon, on Sunday. A tourist office in the city was destroyed by a fire, and Guyot said that “looters and thieves” had “methodically ransacked a number of stores”. "}],[{"start":136.7,"text":"“It had nothing to do with demonstrators airing their grievances,” he added. "}],[{"start":141.54999999999998,"text":"Rioters were “hyper-organised” and in an “exalted, excited mood” and had sought to cause widespread damage, said Maurice Barate, prefect for the region around Limoges. "}],[{"start":152.29999999999998,"text":"The mayors of Marseille, Paris and other cities have demanded to meet Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu to assess the damage, as the government was criticised for its planning and police staffing ahead of the demonstrations."}],[{"start":165.79999999999998,"text":"Some local officials, such as the Marseille mayor, said police had not been sent to protect buildings as requested, while in Limoges police ran out of tear gas and had to retreat, leaving the city hall exposed. "}],[{"start":178.35,"text":"Interior minister Laurent Nuñez denied that police were unprepared for the protests — which the government has blamed on far-left groups — but said on Saturday that sporadic attacks on different parts of cities like Paris were hard to police. "}],[{"start":193.95,"text":"A political blame game is also under way, with Lecornu taking aim at far-left political party La France Insoumise and its leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon, a presidential contender, saying it needed to be more forceful in condemning the violence. "}],[{"start":208.7,"text":"Mélenchon hit back, lauding the protests as largely peaceful, and said Lecornu was “responsible for the chaos . . . through incompetence”."}],[{"start":null,"text":""}],[{"start":217.95,"text":"Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right Rassemblement National and the frontrunner in next year’s election, has also taken aim at the far left."}],[{"start":227.14999999999998,"text":"Images of burning buildings and destruction reverberated beyond France. US vice-president JD Vance blamed immigration for what had happened, without offering evidence. “I hope Americans are paying attention. This is the future congressional Democrats seek for your country,” he said on X, retweeting images of the Limoges city hall in flames. "}],[{"start":249.2,"text":"Demonstrations in Italy to protest high living costs and fuel prices also turned violent on Saturday, as groups of masked rioters clashed with police and looted local businesses."}],[{"start":null,"text":""}],[{"start":260.3,"text":"In Milan, agitators fought police in the famed Piazza Duomo in the city centre, leading to 50 arrests, and smashed windows of several high-end stores. In Bologna, protesters clashed with police and ransacked shops near the train station, forcing the major rail hub to close. "}],[{"start":277.85,"text":"Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed her “respect” for Italians who peacefully took part in the protests, called by one of Italy’s largest labour unions, while slamming “thugs who exploit demonstrations to sow chaos”. “Demonstrating is a right,” she said in a statement. “Setting our cities ablaze is not.”"}],[{"start":296.65000000000003,"text":"Additional reporting by Amy Kazmin"}],[{"start":306.35,"text":""}]],"url":"https://audio.ftcn.net.cn/album/a_1792326174_1693.mp3"}