On the final stretch of a Saturday march through Paris, a Molotov cocktail burst at a gendarme's feet and set his protective gear alight, an act that now sits at the center of an attempted murder inquiry. It arrived within a wider wave of protest against the rising cost of living and the policies that many feel have made it harder to get by, a grievance that has repeatedly drawn crowds into the streets. Authorities counted 779 arrests across the country that weekend, fewer than in recent weeks, which suggests a calmer mood overall even as the violence against officers marked a sharp turn. What
France Opens Attempted Murder Probe After Molotov Attack on Police During Protests
Around 15 gendarmes and police officers were targeted by explosive projectiles, with reported second-degree burns and tinnitus; 89 people remain in custody in Paris, including at least 22 minors.
A Molotov cocktail burst at the feet of a gendarme
On the final stretch of a Saturday march through Paris, a Molotov cocktail burst at a gendarme's feet and set his protective gear alight, an act that now sits at the center of an attempted murder inquiry. It arrived within a wider wave of protest against the rising cost of living and the policies that many feel have made it harder to get by, a grievance that has repeatedly drawn crowds into the streets. Authorities counted 779 arrests across the country that weekend, fewer than in recent weeks, which suggests a calmer mood overall even as the violence against officers marked a sharp turn. What follows now depends on whether those who threw the bottle are found, and on how deeply the officers they targeted were hurt.
At Porte de Charenton, where Saturday's march through Paris came to its close, a Molotov cocktail burst at the feet of a gendarme and set his protective gear on fire. Photographs and video from AFP captured the moment, and by Sunday Paris prosecutors had opened an attempted murder investigation. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez described the attack in the same terms, and the legal footing has held.
Prosecutors say explosive projectiles were aimed at roughly fifteen gendarmes and police officers. No one has been arrested for the attack yet. The injuries reported so far include second-degree burns and tinnitus, though investigators stress these details are still provisional and the full toll remains unknown.
The march was part of nationwide demonstrations over high living costs and government policy. The Interior Ministry counted 320,000 people across France, while unions claimed nearly 500,000. The protests fell on Halloween night, and authorities had tightened security because of online calls for violence. The Interior Ministry ultimately reported 779 arrests nationwide, and officials said the late hours passed without major incidents.
In Paris, 89 people remain in custody, including at least 22 minors. Measured against recent weekends, the national figure is lower than the 1,314 of the previous Saturday and far below the 2,628 recorded during the October 17 rioting. Even so, the attack at Porte de Charenton stands out as a serious escalation against officers, and the coming days will reveal whether anyone is identified and charged.
At Porte de Charenton, where Saturday's march through Paris came to its end, a Molotov cocktail burst at the feet of a gendarme and set his protective gear on fire. Photographs and video from the AFP news agency captured the moment. By Sunday, Paris prosecutors had opened an attempted murder investigation.
According to prosecutors, explosive projectiles were aimed at roughly 15 gendarmes, along with police officers. Nobody has been arrested for the attack. Investigators were still working out how many people were hurt and how badly. The injuries reported so far include second-degree burns and tinnitus, though prosecutors stressed those details are provisional.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez characterized the attack as attempted murder, matching the legal footing prosecutors chose for the inquiry.
The march was part of nationwide demonstrations over high living costs and government policies. The Interior Ministry put turnout across France at 320,000 people. Unions gave a much higher figure, nearly 500,000.
The protests overlapped with Halloween night, and authorities had reinforced security beforehand because of online calls for violence. The Interior Ministry reported 779 arrests nationwide across both the demonstrations and the Halloween night. That figure updates a provisional Saturday-evening total of 565. Officials said the later hours of the night passed without major incidents.
In Paris, prosecutors separately counted 105 arrests: 88 tied to the demonstrations and 17 to Halloween night. They said 89 people were still in custody, among them at least 22 minors.
The national total was lower than in recent weeks. The previous Saturday's mobilization produced 1,314 arrests, and October 17, when widespread rioting and looting broke out, produced 2,628. By that measure the weekend was calmer, even though the Porte de Charenton attack marked a serious escalation against officers.
What to watch now: whether investigators identify and arrest anyone for the Molotov attack, what charges follow, and what the final count and severity of injuries among the officers turns out to be.
Citazioni salienti
The attack was an attempted murder.— Interior Minister Laurent Nunez (paraphrased)
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