IQN (NewsDesk): French authorities have arrested more than 1,800 people after economic protests turned violent in several cities, in some of the worst civil unrest the country has seen in recent times.
Officials said masked groups set fires and attacked public buildings on Saturday, including city halls in a number of towns. Rioting and looting followed, and scenes of burning streets and smashed shopfronts have dominated television coverage across the country.
President Emmanuel Macron rejected a resignation offered by his interior minister as pressure mounted over the handling of the disorder. He also condemned those he said had tried to undermine the French Republic.
The protests began as nationwide demonstrations over economic grievances and escalated sharply over the weekend. Thousands had taken to the streets in the days before, and the unrest has since spread beyond the major cities.
The government now faces questions over its security response and the political fallout. Opposition parties are expected to demand explanations when parliament returns to the issue.
