French economy minister warns protest damage could reach hundreds of millions of euros
Economy Minister Roland Lescure said the recent unrest may have caused damage worth tens to hundreds of millions of euros and pledged measures to prevent further violence.
French Economy Minister Roland Lescure estimated that the property damage from the weekend's violent protests could range from tens to possibly hundreds of millions of euros. Speaking on RTL radio, he described the incidents as "extremely serious" and attributed the unrest to two violent currents: anarchists and thugs. The government is working with insurance firms to compensate merchants hit by the damage and has promised to take all necessary steps to avoid a repeat.
A new demonstration is scheduled for Saturday in Paris, organized by Yellow Vest coordinator Benjamin Ball, the Paris branch of the General Confederation of Labour and a student union. This follows a prior protest on Oct 17 that saw 550,000 participants, vehicle arson, shop looting and more than 2,000 arrests.
Why it matters
The estimated high cost of protest damage highlights growing social unrest and its economic impact on French businesses and public order.
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