PARIS, October 18. /TASS/. Radicals have attacked a police station in central Paris amid nationwide riots triggered by protests against inflation and declining purchasing power, Ariel Weil, the mayor of central Paris, told BFMTV.
"Some law enforcement forces in central Paris were forced to defend the precinct. It was difficult for the police commissioner to deploy personnel across all fronts because they also had to protect their own station," Weil said.
Weil noted that small organized groups carried out a series of attacks on commercial and government properties throughout the day, including the 10th arrondissement town hall. Earlier, Paris Deputy Mayor Emmanuel Gregoire stated that radicals had "trashed entire streets" and looted numerous shops.
On October 17, mass demonstrations took place across France against soaring fuel prices and a drop in living standards. The Interior Ministry estimated that 550,000 people protested nationwide, including 110,000 in Paris. In several cities, the rallies escalated into clashes with police. On Saturday evening, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez announced 400 detentions nationwide and vowed that authorities would continue to pursue everyone involved in the rioting and looting.