BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 20. A total of 2,513
people have been detained during protests and riots in France that
have been ongoing since October 17, while 67 others have been
remanded in custody, French Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin
said.
Commenting on the arson attack on the town hall in Limoges,
carried out by rioters and resulting in the complete destruction of
the building’s bell tower, the minister said that the National
Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office could join the investigation in
the near future.
On October 17, mass demonstrations were held in Paris and other
French cities to protest rising fuel prices and declining
purchasing power. The organizers claimed that 800,000 people had
taken part in the demonstrations, while France’s Ministry of the
Interior put the figure at 550,000.
In several cities, the demonstrations escalated into riots and
clashes between police and protesters. French Interior Minister
Laurent Nuñez stated that those involved in the riots and looting
would be held accountable.
