France Braces for More Unrest After Chaos Erupts in Paris

Paris is burning once again. But officials and analysts say this wave of unrest is different — and that its consequences could reach far beyond France.

I have covered protests in France for decades and lived in Paris for nine years. The French have long been adept at taking political disputes into the streets. Even by that standard, however, the latest upheaval has left many people deeply concerned.

Everyone I have spoken with on the ground describes the rioting as more violent, more destructive and more consequential than previous unrest. Domestic tensions appear to be spiraling beyond authorities’ control.

At a brasserie near the Place de la Republique, I approached the bar and was asked by the server whether I was American and a journalist. When I answered yes to both, he replied: “So you’ve come to cover the civil war.”

The figures underscore the scale of the crisis. About 2,500 people were arrested during the latest weekend of clashes between protesters and police, while roughly 1,000 officers were injured. Many activists were also hurt, some seriously. Approximately 3,000 businesses were damaged, looted or destroyed, with losses estimated at more than $1 billion.

Perhaps most alarming were the assaults on government and civic buildings: a historic city hall in Limoges, a police headquarters in crime-ridden Marseille and a major tourist office in Lyon. Each attack carried the message of a French state under siege.

Mostly peaceful demonstrations over student concerns and the economic pressures facing working- and middle-class families were overtaken by people intent on anarchy, along with opportunistic young criminals seeking easy thrills.

Immigrants and foreigners are among those involved, as are people reportedly linked to so-called “ultra-left” groups. Still, this is fundamentally a French revolt — a fact that, in some ways, makes it even more disturbing.

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Nearly a decade under President Emmanuel Macron has left France more polarized. Promises remain unfulfilled, public anger is close to the surface and the threat of violence is unmistakable.

Authorities have acknowledged another troubling feature of the latest unrest: At times, parts of Paris and other cities effectively slipped out of control. Store owners were left to protect their businesses themselves.

The turmoil offers political opportunities to both the left and the right. Some voices sympathize with the protesters’ demands, while others are calling for a tougher law-and-order response. Both camps are attacking those in power. With presidential elections only six months away, the timing could hardly be more significant.

With France’s treasury nearly empty, the current authorities appear to see stronger security measures as the most practical — and politically promising — response.

That is why senior government officials have been outlining preparations for another major protest planned for this weekend. French Prime Minister Lecornu says the demonstration will be met with a “massive police operation” supported by the military. Activists, he said, will have to choose between “violence” and the French “republic.”

The “do or die” rhetoric, however, does little to resolve the deeper problems confronting France — problems shared by other countries as well. Beyond the fascination surrounding France’s latest crisis, the unrest may offer a real-time lesson in how governments should, or should not, respond to a new era defined by inequality and diminishing resources.

See you at the “barricades.”