French President Emmanuel Macron is under fire for attending a Celine Dion concert Friday evening, just hours before nationwide protests erupted into violence, injuring hundreds of emergency workers and leading to nearly 1,800 arrests.
French media reported that Macron and his wife, Brigitte, attended Dion’s performance at the Plenitude Arena in Nanterre, west of Paris. The couple reportedly entered and departed quietly, joining an estimated 35,000 concertgoers.
The concert followed Macron’s attendance at a European Council meeting in Brussels on Thursday and Friday. Speaking to reporters in Brussels on Friday, he urged demonstrators to show “calm and respect,” stressing that the right to protest must not come at the expense of people or property.
By Saturday, protests fueled by concerns over the rising cost of living, struggling schools and deteriorating public services had spiraled into clashes with police, arson, looting and attacks on public buildings across multiple French cities.
President of France Emmanuel Macron gestures as he speaks during a press conference at a European Union leaders’ summit in Brussels, Belgium, October 16, 2026. (REUTERS/Yves Herman)
French authorities said Sunday that approximately 1,800 people had been detained across the country, including 855 in the Paris region. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said more than 500 police officers, gendarmes and firefighters were injured. Authorities also reported that a protester died after suffering cardiac arrest during demonstrations in Paris.
In Limoges, officials said a fire intentionally started at the city hall severely damaged the historic structure. Businesses were looted in Paris, Bordeaux, Marseille, Lyon and elsewhere, while public buildings were vandalized or set ablaze.
Officials estimated that more than 550,000 people took part in demonstrations nationwide, while organizers claimed the total was closer to 800,000.
This photograph shows a fire burning and destroying the city hall after a group of individuals forced entry into the building during ongoing protest action against the “high cost of living”, in Limoges, central France on October 17, 2026, (Pascal Lachenaud / AFP via Getty Images)
Macron denounced the destruction Saturday night, saying on X that anyone responsible for property damage, attacks on public buildings or looting would be prosecuted and punished. He also voiced his backing for law enforcement and cautioned against attempts to weaken France’s institutions.
The president’s remarks came as unrest moved through several major cities, intensifying scrutiny of the government’s planning for the protests and its response to the escalating violence.
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During the demonstration on 17 October in Limoges protesters set fire to the town hall in Limoges Haute-Vienne in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of France on 17 October 2026. (Elise Cabane / Hans Lucas / AFP via Getty Images)
The demonstrations began as a month-long student campaign focused on poor school conditions and teacher shortages in working-class suburbs. The movement later expanded into a wider backlash against inequality, government spending cuts and the increasing cost of everyday life.
Government officials have blamed looters and violent factions for the destruction. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu pointed to the “ultra-left” and criminal groups, while opposition figures accused the government of mishandling the crisis ahead of next year’s presidential election.
A protester faces off with French riot police amid clashes during a demonstration against the cost of living and rising fuel prices at the Place de la Republique in Paris as part of nationwide protests called by the “Yellow Vests” movement, joined by French high school and university students, teachers and parents demanding better school conditions and government action, as well as labour unions, workers, farmers and retirees, France, Oct. 17, 2026. (Jack Taylor/Reuters)
Right-wing leader Marine Le Pen condemned the looting and property destruction. On the left, Jean-Luc Mélenchon defended the protesters’ underlying demands while criticizing the government’s response, accusing Lecornu of “playing with fire,” according to reports.
The unrest has also delivered a heavy financial blow to retailers. Carrefour CEO Alexandre Bompard told French television that 50 stores had been damaged, including 20 that were looted, with losses expected to reach tens of millions of euros, Reuters reported.
The mayors of Paris, Marseille and Lyon have asked to meet with the prime minister over the destruction. Officials in Marseille and Bordeaux have announced or proposed emergency support for businesses affected by the unrest.
Tens of thousands of secondary school students and their supporters march from Republic to Nation square on Oct. 6, 2026, in Paris, France. (Guy Smallman/Getty Images)
Macron is expected to address the nation at 8 p.m. local time Sunday, or 2 p.m. Eastern time, after consulting with senior government officials. His televised remarks will come as France begins clearing damage from the protests and authorities prepare to prosecute those arrested.
The address will mark a critical test for Macron as his government faces mounting pressure over the scale of the destruction, the police response and the economic grievances that fueled the demonstrations.
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