Police Made 1,314 Arrests in France Protests – Government

French police arrested 1,314 people during weekend protests across the country, while 53 officers sustained injuries in clashes, the Interior Ministry said on Sunday.

The arrests followed demonstrations in major cities on Saturday over rising living costs, with violence breaking out in some areas.

The unrest marked a second consecutive weekend of protests in France, which is preparing for presidential elections in April and May to elect a successor to Emmanuel Macron, who is completing his second and final term.

According to the Interior Ministry, police responded to 75 fires during Saturday’s demonstrations, while 24 shops were looted. 

The ministry also confirmed that several investigations had been launched but did not provide further details.

It described the remainder of Saturday night, after the clashes subsided, as calm but did not disclose the number of demonstrators injured.

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez had reported two serious injuries among demonstrators late on Saturday, one in Toulouse and another in Clermont-Ferrand.

The Toulouse prefecture told AFP that a 20-year-old man sustained a serious hand injury. A street medic who treated demonstrators said the man had lost several fingers on his right hand after an explosion.

In Clermont-Ferrand, a man also suffered a hand injury, although the local prefecture confirmed that he did not lose any fingers.

Regional newspaper La Nouvelle République also reported that a man in Poitiers sustained an injury to his left eye. 

The publication shared a photograph of the injured man, while its photographer told AFP that the 19-year-old was hurt during a riot police operation involving stun grenades and tear gas.

The injuries come as concerns persist over the use of police grenades during protests in France.

In recent weeks, several people have reportedly suffered serious injuries during student demonstrations involving stun grenades or tear gas grenades.

However, it remained unclear whether police weapons caused the injuries reported during Saturday’s protests.

Authorities confirmed that investigations were ongoing  in at least some of the cases.