“Revolution!” some shouted during France’s protests. Others demanded better classroom conditions. Many simply wanted their household budgets to stop shrinking as fuel and food prices spike.
Some, meanwhile, relished confrontation. Masked youths battled police and seized a lawless opportunity to loot city stores of expensive sneakers and TVs.
France’s unrest is exposing deep political and economic fault lines ahead of next year’s presidential election, analysts say, strengthening anti-establishment forces while leaving the cash-strapped government with little room to respond.
French man films someone chasing a rioter.
A young French woman quickly appears and tells him to stop filming while making silly faces. https://t.co/pRJGiC9taE
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) October 20, 2026
