Out of control? France stunned by October 17 rioting

AI Summary

France’s October 17 cost-of-living demonstrations drew far larger crowds than police expected and were accompanied by flashmob looting and clashes involving radical militants. The unrest included an assault on Limoges city hall, putting pressure on police and targeting a symbol of the Republic.

France didn't just erupt on Saturday – it exploded. Police were doubly overwhelmed by the turnout of the October 17 cost-of-living demonstrations, which saw two and-a-half times the crowds they expected. Officers were also overwhelmed by determined flashmobs: some radical militants hellbent on a fight, others who came for the looting. The whole world watched the assault on symbols of the Republic like the 19th-century city hall in Limoges, the usually quiet porcelain capital of France.