Whole streets in Paris ‘devastated’ by protests, says mayor, as France demonstrations continue – Europe live

Opening summaryFrance is recovering after its worst protests in years saw buildings attacked and set ablaze across the country.More than 1,200 people were arrested in the demonstrations on Saturday, which began with protests from students over the cost of living.However violent fringe groups came out in support of the students, which saw events spiralling out of control.Whole streets in Paris “have been devastated”, the city’s mayor, Emmanuel Gregoire, said.Meanwhile in Limoges, central France, the town hall was “largely lost” to a fire set by masked protesters, the top regional official told the AFP news agency.Authorities in France are now waiting to see if protests will go into another day. The protests began last month at schools ⁠in the poor northern suburbs of Paris, where ⁠anger over teacher ​absences and shabby facilities quickly morphed into a nationwide movement against inequality, weak public spending and falling standards.We will be following events in France and bringing you any reaction as it comes in.Key events34m agoRecord numbers arrested in Paris44m agoOpening summaryIn case you are still catching up with the news from yesterday, my colleagues Kim Willsher and William Christou have this report.More than 1,200 people were arrested in France on Saturday after protesters supporting high school students clashed with police, with some demonstrations later spiralling out of control as buildings were set ablaze and shops looted.Police fired teargas in confrontations with protesters, as demonstrations across France were boosted by other groups angry about high prices and the fraying of a social welfare system. While hundreds of thousands protested peacefully in street marches in scores of cities, violent fringe groups targeted public buildings, luxury boutiques and supermarkets and attacked police vehicles and officers.Late on Saturday, prime minister Sébastien Lecornu said 1,200 people had been arrested and 150 police hurt.Interior minister Laurent Nuñez said the official demonstration had been hijacked by casseurs – “opportunistic delinquents who had seen a chance to pillage and loot … we will find them and deal with them firmly”.Read more…Record numbers arrested in ParisPolice in Paris arrested a “record figure” of 855 people during the protests on Saturday.Agence France-Presse reported the number detained was the highest ever for a single event.The figure forms part of the 1,200 arrested across France, as prime minister Sébastien Lecornu said 150 police had been hurt in clashes.Meanwhile Deputy Mayor of Paris Lamia El Aaraje said the capital had been hit by “a level of violence that I believe we had never seen before”.Opening summaryFrance is recovering after its worst protests in years saw buildings attacked and set ablaze across the country.More than 1,200 people were arrested in the demonstrations on Saturday, which began with protests from students over the cost of living.However violent fringe groups came out in support of the students, which saw events spiralling out of control.Whole streets in Paris “have been devastated”, the city’s mayor, Emmanuel Gregoire, said.Meanwhile in Limoges, central France, the town hall was “largely lost” to a fire set by masked protesters, the top regional official told the AFP news agency.Authorities in France are now waiting to see if protests will go into another day. The protests began last month at schools ⁠in the poor northern suburbs of Paris, where ⁠anger over teacher ​absences and shabby facilities quickly morphed into a nationwide movement against inequality, weak public spending and falling standards.We will be following events in France and bringing you any reaction as it comes in.