Macron Vows Accountability in National Address as France Reels From Deadly Riots

PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron addressed the nation in a televised Macron national address on Sunday evening after one of the most violent weekends of unrest in recent French history, vowing that those who “sought to bring down the Republic” will be held accountable as the country reels from rioting that left at least two people dead, more than 2,000 detained and over 600 police officers injured.

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• Macron delivered a televised address to the nation at 8 p.m. Paris time on Sunday, October 18, after two days of rioting across France.
• At least two deaths: a 22-year-old police officer in Nantes and a protester north of Paris.
• More than 2,000 people detained and over 600 police officers injured, according to Interior Minister Laurent Nunez.
• Some 550,000 demonstrators marched on Saturday, including 110,000 in Paris; organizers say the turnout was far higher.
• Macron ordered a review of possible failings in intelligence gathering and police preparedness.
• Prefects and mayors will be empowered to ban certain gatherings; an emergency meeting with mayors is set for Monday.

Key announcements in Macron’s national address

Speaking as communities began cleaning up after a weekend in which government buildings were torched and shops looted, Macron said the full force of the law would be brought to bear on those who damaged property or took part in rioting.

“Those who looted will have to pay back for the damage,” he said, according to a translation by the Associated Press. “And those who sought to bring down the Republic will be held accountable.”

“Looking at these images, we have all asked ourselves: what was going through their minds? How can French people do this to France?” Macron said. “Nothing justifies it, nothing explains it, nothing excuses it. Tonight, we all feel anger and shame.”

According to Reuters, Macron ordered a review to determine whether there had been failings in intelligence gathering or police preparedness before protests that later turned violent, and said prefects and mayors would be empowered to ban certain gatherings where necessary.

He also asked the government to bring together students, teachers, lawmakers, trade union representatives and business leaders this week to formulate what he described as “concrete proposals” to address the crisis. “We must sit around the table and build solutions together,” he said.

Two dead as largely peaceful protests descended into rioting

The destruction followed what had been largely peaceful protests, which grew out of sweeping student-led rallies over crumbling schools, the spiking cost of living and perceived government inaction. On Saturday evening, groups of young people looted shops and started fires as protests wound down, prompting police to respond with tear gas and baton charges, CNN reported.

A 22-year-old police officer died in the city of Nantes after being “struck by a third-party vehicle,” Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said. One protester died just north of Paris following a “cardiorespiratory arrest,” CNN affiliate BFMTV reported, citing the Paris Police headquarters.

The damage was widespread. In Limoges, the 143-year-old town hall was set ablaze on Saturday, with video showing its spire collapsing. In Marseille, masked protesters dressed in black broke into city hall and defaced the building, and in Lyon, protesters torched the city’s tourist office. On Sunday, police again launched tear gas at the Place de la République in Paris, where dozens gathered in response to social media messages calling to “continue the movement,” BFMTV reported.

Alexandre Bompard, chief executive of retail giant Carrefour, said in a social media post on Sunday that around 1,500 of the company’s stores across the country had been affected by violence.

What happens next

Macron said he would hold an emergency meeting with French mayors on Monday to discuss public safety, while Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu is set to meet the mayors of Paris, Lyon and Marseille, who called for greater reinforcement to repair the damage.

The unrest has drawn sharp political reactions. Lecornu condemned “unacceptable levels of violence,” while far-left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon said the majority of demonstrators had made their point peacefully, writing: “Two worlds, two realities.” U.S. President Donald Trump also weighed in on social media, writing “France is burning!” and blaming immigration for the violence.

France is just six months away from presidential elections, and the violence has unfolded against mounting political, fiscal and social pressures. Whether the week’s talks with stakeholders produce the “concrete proposals” Macron promised will be the government’s next test.

For more European coverage, see Watan News — Europe.