Violent weekend protests in France leave police losing control of the streets ahead of elections

Summary

Protests across France at the weekend turned into the worst urban violence in years, overshadowing the protest movement itself. Police lost control of the streets, more than 2,000 shops were ransacked, and far-left groups targeted town halls and local buildings and fought pitched battles with police. The article says the police response to last week's high school protests was disastrously heavy-handed and only escalated tensions. The unrest further undermined the authority of President Emmanuel Macron, whose second term is entering its last phase, and comes ahead of elections that may deliver a far-right presidency.

Timeline

1. The Guardian

   19 Oct 2026, 17:30 UTCSource ↗

   The Guardian reports that weekend protests in France became a quasi-insurrectionary scene of torched public buildings and looted shops, with more than 2,000 shops ransacked, far-left groups attacking town halls and clashing with police, and police losing control of the streets.