‘Anger and shame’: Macron condemns France’s nationwide rioting, looting

French President Emmanuel Macron said he felt “anger and shame” over the wave of violent unrest that swept the country on Saturday, describing the actions of some demonstrators as an attempt to “bring down the republic”. In a televised address on Sunday, he warned that those who engaged in looting and destruction would “pay for their crimes”, after what officials called the worst urban violence in years.

The Interior Ministry reported that close to 2,400 people were detained on Saturday, while roughly 1,000 police officers and gendarmes suffered injuries. Macron stressed the need to separate citizens with “legitimate demands” from those who “destroyed, smashed, and looted”. He announced the creation of a “crisis unit” to deliver “urgent aid … for those who are going through difficult moments”, and said the government would draw “lessons” from the turmoil.

“We need to be clear: yesterday, our law‑enforcement officers and officials, despite their professionalism, were subjected to unprecedented violence in several cities,” Macron said. “I have asked the government to provide all the lessons learned and to anticipate future incidents so that this does not happen again. We need unity, we need calm and respect.”

Al Jazeera’s Natacha Butler, reporting from Paris, noted that the president’s speech offered “perhaps no surprises”. She added, “Whether it will be enough to placate some people, I’m not really sure, because those who have been out protesting say they’re fed up of hearing these sorts of speeches by the French president.”

The unrest is quickly becoming a political battleground ahead of next year’s presidential election. Left‑wing candidate Jean‑Luc Mélenchon blamed the government, saying it is “solely responsible” for the damage and has “failed to organise the maintenance of public order”. Far‑right contender Jordan Bardella called Macron’s address “lamentable” and “cowardly”, accusing the administration of having nothing left to offer the French people and being unable to protect them.