French Protests Over Cost of Living Turn Into Riots; Latvian Politician Says Anger Has Been Vented
Mass protests in France over the cost of living and public services have turned into looting and clashes with police. Riga City Council member Mārtiņš Kossovičs said on TV24 that the violence should not overshadow the original cause.
Protests in France against the rising cost of living and problems with public services have in several cities escalated into riots, looting and clashes with police. The events were discussed on the TV24 programme “Preses klubs” by Mārtiņš Kossovičs, a Riga City Council member, deputy head of the Progressive faction and a businessman. He argued that the violence must not obscure the original reason for the protests, but he doubts that significant political change will follow.
How the protests grew
On 17 October, hundreds of thousands of people took part in demonstrations across France. The movement began among schoolchildren objecting to poor conditions in educational institutions. It was later joined by trade unions, members of the “yellow vests” movement and people worried about rising prices and falling purchasing power.
International media report that the protests have centred on price increases, fuel costs, declining purchasing power and dissatisfaction with public services.
Unrest in the cities
Part of the demonstrations turned violent. In Paris, several shops were vandalised and looted, including stores of the luxury brands Céline and Dior. Unrest also took place in Lyon, Marseille, Bordeaux and elsewhere, with buildings and cars set on fire. Police detained more than a thousand people, and the number of detainees rose further in the following days. French authorities have linked the violence to radical groups and to people who used the protests to loot.
Kossovičs’s assessment
Kossovičs noted that social media show the events very differently: some posts focus on pupils and students with social and economic demands, while others are dominated by videos of looted shops and burning cars. “Everyone covers these protests from the viewpoint that seems more acceptable to them or that they believe more,” the politician said.
He stressed that each of the thousands who took to the streets probably has their own motivation, but the protests were called because of the cost of living. He is sceptical about political results: “I think it will be a kind of letting off steam. The anger has been released.”
Response of the authorities
Following the violence, the French government has introduced a night-time curfew in several places and strengthened the police presence. Authorities are preparing for new demonstrations, as dissatisfaction with the cost of living and the country’s economic situation has not subsided.
