Macron in a speech after the events in France: We will hold accountable everyone who sought to undermine the republic

- French President Emmanuel Macron addressed the nation on Sunday evening, at a time when the country is suffering from the repercussions of one of the most violent nights of unrest in recent years. Anti-government protests - which were mostly peaceful - turned into riots, resulting in government buildings being set on fire and the death of a policeman and one protester. Macron stressed that the law will be strictly applied to anyone who caused property damage or participated in the riots.

He added: "Those who destroyed property must pay the price, and those who looted must return what they took. As for those who sought to overthrow the republic, they will be held accountable."

He described the violence as being orchestrated by "inciting elements belonging to far-left movements, joined by a large number of outlaws." He continued, saying: “As we were looking at these pictures, we all wondered: What happened to them?

How could the French do this to France?” Macron stressed that “nothing can justify these actions, explain them, or intercede for their perpetrators,” adding: “Tonight we all feel anger and shame at the same time.” The president also acknowledged the need for the government to listen to citizens’ complaints, announcing the holding of an emergency meeting tomorrow, Monday, with the mayors of France to discuss public security issues.

At least two deaths were recorded in connection with the riots and protests over the weekend; A 22-year-old policeman died after being hit by a vehicle in the city of Nantes, located about 250 miles southwest of Paris, according to French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez. In a related context, BFMTV reported on Sunday, citing the Paris Police Headquarters, that a protester had died in northern Paris after suffering a “cardiorespiratory arrest.”

Nunez explained that the police arrested more than 2,000 people, noting at the same time that more than 600 police officers were injured. Sunday witnessed a repeat of scenes of police firing tear gas in Republic Square, a square with great symbolism, where dozens gathered in response to calls on social media to “continue the movement.”

In the city of Limoges (central country), the 143-year-old municipal building was set on fire on Saturday, as video clips showed the building's tower collapsing. In Marseille, masked protesters wearing black stormed the city hall and damaged it, while in Lyon, protesters burned the city's tourist office.

As Saturday night fell in Paris, groups of young people looted stores and set fires as the intensity of the protests subsided, prompting the police to respond by using tear gas and batons in the narrow streets. In a post on social media on Sunday, Alexandre Bombard, CEO of the giant Carrefour supermarket chain, said that about 1,500 stores across the country were damaged by the violence.

Laurent Nunez, the French Minister of the Interior, announced on the “X” platform on Sunday that more than 600 policemen had been injured, stressing that “nothing can justify” these disturbances. The destruction came on the heels of mostly peaceful protests, an extension of widespread student-led demonstrations across France last month, sparking a broader movement against deteriorating schools, rising costs of living, and perceived government inaction.

These demonstrations have become a symbol of long-rooted anger among different generations, which see their demands for social and political change met with neglect by negligent governments. Nunez said on Saturday that about 550,000 demonstrators took to the streets throughout France, including 110,000 in Paris, while organizers confirmed that the number of participants was much larger than that.