By Sunday morning, images of Limoges had made their way around all of France. A 143-year-old town hall was burned to the ground, and its tower had collapsed.
On Sunday, October 18th, President Emmanuel Macron will give an address at 8 pm, as confirmed by the Élysée Palace. However, the presidency hasn’t yet provided information about what the president will say.
The address will follow one of the most turbulent days of unrest France has experienced in years, as well as one of the most difficult periods for a president whose term expires in less than a year.
On Saturday, October 17, massive yet largely peaceful demonstrations started. Around 550,000 people took part in the protests across the country, based on the number provided by Qazinform. The organizers, however, said there were 800,000.
The complaints were wide-ranging. The primary concern was that of the rising cost of living, driven in part by the Middle Eastern conflict. This protest movement was born out of the protests conducted by the students last month regarding poor schools, expensive prices, and governmental inactivity.
The Yellow Vest movement referred to the “yellow and youth” demonstrations. This protest was first witnessed eight years ago against Macron regarding increased fuel taxes.
Violence soon followed. Masked individuals attacked several hundred stores, burned public buildings, and fought with police.
Limoges City Hall, completed in 1883, was almost completely destroyed due to being set on fire by rioters. In Marseille, rioters entered the city hall and vandalized the building. In Lyon, the tourist office was burned by demonstrators.
The toll on humans was equally great. One protestor was killed following a heart attack in Paris, while the interior minister reported that over 600 officers had been injured. However, other sources put this figure at less than that, with France 24 reporting over 500.
According to Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez, over 2,000 arrests have been made. Initial numbers hovered around 1,800. In Paris, a record number of 855 arrests was registered.
The use of force by police is also being scrutinized. As reported by France 24, a protester lost his hand due to a police explosive device. According to LBC, a teenager lost his hand when he picked up an impact grenade thrown by police forces. The two reports vary, as do the circumstances.
The government, however, has blamed the extreme sides. It accused left-wing extremists and ultra-leftists, as well as criminals who incited the looting.
Macron himself used X to declare that "there is no place for violence in our Republic" and promised legal measures against those who assaulted institutions and private property. Also, he said that the culprits will be "prosecuted and punished."
On the other hand, Nuñez emphasized the right of people to peacefully demonstrate but not to use violence and attack public properties.
Fingers were being pointed fast. Radical right Marine Le Pen, the far-right party's leader, blamed the radical left for hijacking legitimate grievances about the cost of living and government services.
America had an opinion as well. U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted on Truth Social that "France is burning" and told France to "crack down on immigration," posting a video of the fire in Limoges. Vice President JD Vance, too, blamed immigration, posting another video of the Limoges fire.
Macron, too, has a reputation to uphold. He and his wife were criticized for going to a Celine Dion concert on Friday evening.
He is aware of what a critical speech is all about. Back in December 2018, following four weeks of Yellow Vest protest, he made a national speech breaking his silence for a long time. There was pressure for taking practical actions, and withdrawing the increased fuel taxes came as insufficient at that time.
It is even more so now, as he will retire in 2027 after ruling for ten years. The current unrests have revealed his unpopularity to a great extent.
