Riots in France: How anti-government protests spiraled out of control
PARIS — Smashed windows and ransacked shops. Bloodied teenage protesters. A city hall on fire. Such scenes shocked France as rioting erupted last month during nationwide protests over high living costs and strained public services. Government officials have repeatedly blamed far-left radicals and “opportunistic delinquents,” who they say took advantage of mostly peaceful demonstrations to attack symbols of state authority and capitalism across France. But the authorities’ heavy-handed response – including thousands of arrests, police beatings and curbs on marches – has added to the volatile mix of grievances fueling an anti-government groundswell that shows no sign of abating before next year’s presidential election, Reuters found. Reuters journalists reviewed dozens of videos of the violence, attended the court hearings of 26 people accused of taking part and interviewed over 50 government officials, police officers, attorneys, protesters and witnesses to understand how a movement that began in September with small protests over conditions in state schools spiraled into so
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