Nationwide protests in France turn violent over living costs, with arrests and damage to buildings and shops

Left-leaning outlets report that anti-government protests across France devolved into riots that damaged buildings and shops, with leaders from across the political spectrum blaming one another even as the unrest largely subsided on Sunday. They describe a new nationwide wave in which grievances have grown beyond student concerns to include inequality and affordability.

All sides agree the weekend demonstrations were driven by concerns over living costs and were marred by looting, burned property and clashes with police. CNBC puts turnout at over 500,000 people, and Fox News cites 1,800 arrests nationwide. France 24 reports shopfronts demolished and thousands of euros of stock stolen, and says President Macron held an emergency meeting with senior officials on Sunday and warned that looters will have to pay for the damage. Right-leaning outlets stress the scale of destruction, including a burned 143-year-old town hall, storming of government buildings, masked groups and Palestinian flags at Paris's Place de la République. Left-leaning coverage instead highlights political blame and broadening grievances, while the articles do not describe next steps beyond Macron's warning.