Macron blames social media for France's worst riots in years as he admits the scale was 'not anticipated at all'
Clashes between protesters and riot police in Paris, as largely peaceful nationwide marches turned violent by evening despite a 70,000-strong deployment that prevented the arson seen a week earlier.Riots in Paris. Activists have called a further day of protests for 31 October after Saturday's marches drew between 410,000 and 800,000 people nationwide.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez says he 'clearly' expects more trouble at Halloween protests on 31 October, ahead of a general strike on 5 November. Saturday's marches drew more than 400,000 people and ended in at least 1,300 arrests. In Marseille, Emmanuel Macron said Sébastien Lecornu's government would announce 'concrete measures' for students. The unrest comes six months before a presidential election in which Marine Le Pen is the front-runner.
Macron called social media 'tools for mobilising the worst impulses' and 'damaging our democracies'.
Rioters briefly stormed Marseille city hall on 17 October as looting spread across dozens of cities.
President Trump says he once told Macron: 'You are destroying France.'
