Looters Raid Paris Shops as Cost-of-Living Protests Turn Violent Across France

Masked men in black hoodies forced open metal store shutters across Paris on Saturday, stripping shelves of cigarettes, sunglasses, clothing, jewellery and food as nationwide demonstrations against the cost of living escalated into unrest. Looters met no resistance from authorities, and some emerged from a supermarket carrying bags filled with cakes, fruit juice and alcohol. Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators had gathered throughout the country to protest living costs, a wave that followed weeks of student protests and that has deepened political uncertainty six months ahead of France's presidential election. The violence was described as unacceptable.