French Authorities Open Investigation After Petrol Bomb Thrown at Police Amid European Unrest

PARIS — French authorities have opened an attempted murder investigation after a petrol bomb was thrown at riot police during widespread weekend unrest that saw over 770 arrests nationwide.

The violence in France formed part of a broader wave of youth-led protests, riots, and clashes that erupted across several European nations on Saturday. Demonstrations over deteriorating public services, unaffordable housing, declining prospects, the education system, and the spiralling cost of living have shaken multiple countries this autumn.

In Paris, incendiary devices were hurled at a group of approximately 15 gendarmes and police officers, prompting the Paris prosecutor’s office to initiate a formal investigation for attempted murder. According to French officials, an estimated 320,000 demonstrators took to the streets on Saturday night, leading to more than 770 arrests. Interior minister Laurent Nuñez described the level of violence perpetrated by masked and hooded rioters as “extraordinary.” Mobile phone footage from the clashes reportedly captured injuries including second-degree burns.

The unrest extended across borders into Germany, Switzerland, Portugal, and Albania. In Germany, more than 100,000 protesters marched across over 30 cities on Saturday in demonstrations led by the “Gen Z regelt” campaign. The demonstrations turned violent in Frankfurt, where looters and rioters damaged stores and injured more than 100 police officers. German interior minister Alexander Dobrindt called for harsh penalties, stating that rioters and looters will be identified and held accountable.

In Switzerland, unauthorised demonstrations in Zürich and Basel descended into violence. Police in Zürich deployed water cannon, teargas, and rubber bullets to disperse the crowds. Meanwhile, in Portugal, riot police cleared protest camps by force, using baton charges to remove demonstrators from Rossio Square in Lisbon at about 4:30 a.m. on Sunday.

In Albania, masked protesters gathered in Tirana demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama, hurling stones and firebombs at police forces.

The latest demonstrations follow earlier urban unrest in France on 17 October, during which 2,600 people were arrested and as many as 3,000 shops were pillaged. Investigations into the attempted murder of police officers and the identification of rioters and looters are ongoing across the affected jurisdictions.