Burnt out cars and shattered glass on Paris streets after protests turn to riots and looting
Around 1,800 people were arrested after nationwide protests saw outbreaks of violence and vandalism.
Burned-out cars and broken glass lined the streets of Paris after protests escalated into riots and looting
France woke on Sunday to scenes of extensive destruction after a day of demonstrations and rioting, with shop windows smashed, cars burned out, bikes charred, and heaps of glass and debris scattered across Paris pavements.
Police detained about 1,800 people on Saturday as roughly 550,000 demonstrators marched in protests that were mostly peaceful.
They were protesting against higher fuel prices, the cost of living, and worsening public services, including schools.
Groups of rioters, some wearing black clothing and masks or balaclavas, also appeared in Paris, Marseille and other towns and cities, with some setting fire to cars and buildings.
Widespread looting was reported in Paris, Marseille and Lille, as well as in other areas.
In Paris, protesters clashed with riot police, who used tear gas and water cannon against the crowds. During the day, some groups started fires in the street and torched vehicles. At least one restaurant was gutted by fire, and the BBC saw fighting break out among some of the groups.
Riot police were seen charging at one crowd in central Paris and striking several people with batons.
Further south in Marseille, protesters forced their way into city hall by using a metal fence as a battering ram. In Lille, police said a McDonalds was set on fire, and an Apple store in the city was broken into and looted.
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said 150 police officers were injured in the unrest.
On Sunday morning in Paris, residents examined the damage, which included shattered glass fronts of designer stores such as Ralph Lauren, Gucci and Versace.
Shopkeepers were out early with brooms, collecting large shards of glass as they started the clean-up. Rubbish trucks moved along some of the bigger streets to remove some of the debris.
Many shops were marked with graffiti, including slogans reading "tax the rich" and "eat the rich."
The BBC visited a clothing shop near Place de la République that had been ransacked, with piles of clothes and furniture strewn across the shop floor.
The shop's upset owner told the BBC he had seen looters on CCTV who were inside the shop for just over an hour and a half, and that during that time he saw no police in the process.
The owner - who asked not to be identified - told the BBC he did not believe any of those who robbed the shop were genuine protesters over school conditions or the cost of living. He said the looters were exploiting the demonstrations.
CCTV footage shown on France's Channel 2 shows groups of teenagers, mostly wearing masks, in a mobile phone shop helping themselves to items from the shelves.
Student protests in France have drawn hundreds of thousands into the streets since they began late last month. Protesters have been calling for more investment in their schools, criticising the shortage of teachers and staff, overcrowded classrooms and dilapidated buildings.
In Lyon, Mayor Grégory Doucet said the burning of the city's tourist office was "a tragedy", telling French outlet BFMTV that "it breaks our hearts because it's a very iconic, well-known historic building".
Local police said "hostile individuals" stopped firefighters from safely dealing with the blaze.
Fire crews also fought a fire at Limoges town hall, which caused part of the building to collapse. Local officials said the town hall was "largely lost."
"A wild horde" had "deliberately" set fire to the 143-year-old building, said Maurice Barate, the prefect for the Haute-Vienne department.
Elsewhere, a young man "had his hand blown off" by a small explosive in Saint-Étienne, the south-eastern city's Mayor Régis Juanico said on social media.
"Such a tragedy should never have happened," he said.
France's interior ministry said Saturday's protests involved "targeted acts of violence" from "hooded individuals" in places including parts of the capital and also in Marseille, Rennes, Toulouse, and the western city of Angers.
Damage to buildings was reported across France, including in Grenoble, Avignon, Pau, Montpellier and Valence.