Macron to address nation as riots spark looting and US president claims France is burning

Protests over living costs turned violent in dozens of cities, prompting an emergency address by Macron and a social‑media outburst from President Trump.

By Felo News Desk · Published Sun, 18 Oct 2026 21:10:26 GMT

French President Emmanuel Macron announced an emergency televised address following two days of unrest that saw protests devolve into riots, fires and looting across major cities, while US President Donald Trump posted on social media that "France is burning".

What happened

On Saturday, roughly 550,000 people gathered in demonstrations against the cost of living and school conditions, according to the French interior ministry. Masked groups set fire to cars and buildings, notably the historic town hall in Limoges, whose roof collapsed. Police deployed tear‑gas in central Paris and other locations as they attempted to disperse crowds and make arrests. By Sunday, authorities reported that at least 1,800 people had been detained, and dozens of police officers were injured.

What the reports add

The Australian SMH noted that the violence began after the Saturday rallies and highlighted the use of tear‑gas around Place de la République, while the Independent added that looting spread to Paris, Marseille, Lyon, Bordeaux, Rennes, Strasbourg, Grenoble, Nice and other cities, and that the Limoges city hall roof collapsed. The Independent also reported that French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu blamed "radical far‑left groups" for part of the unrest, a detail not mentioned by the SMH. Both outlets quoted US President Donald Trump describing the situation as "France is burning" on social media.

What was said

Macron told the nation that the violence would be prosecuted, as reported by the SMH. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said the unrest was partly driven by radical far‑left elements, according to the Independent. US President Donald Trump wrote on his platform that "France is burning!" and linked the turmoil to immigration, as cited by the Independent.

How it came about

The protests stem from months‑long grievances over fuel costs, public‑service cuts and school conditions. Felo News previously covered the scale of the demonstrations (Thousands protest in France as riots spark looting and police injuries) and earlier commentary from Macron on free‑speech debates (Macron criticises American free‑speech model). The escalation this weekend follows a pattern of increasing arrests and police injuries documented in earlier Felo reports.

Key facts

Around 550,000 people demonstrated across France on Saturday. (smh.com.au)
At least 1,800 people were arrested during the weekend unrest. (independent.co.uk)
The historic town hall in Limoges was set on fire, its roof collapsing. (independent.co.uk)
Macron announced an emergency televised address in response to the violence. (smh.com.au)
US President Donald Trump posted that "France is burning" on social media. (independent.co.uk)

Where accounts differ

Number of arrests reported: No specific total figure given; mentions arrests but not a count. (smh.com.au); At least 1,800 people arrested. (independent.co.uk)