Cost-of-living protests turn violent across Europe

In Paris, Lyon, Marseille, and dozens of other French cities, hundreds of thousands marched on Sunday against rising costs for food, energy, and housing. In Berlin, Hamburg, Frankfurt, and other German cities, similar crowds gathered the same day. The scale of the demonstrations reflected a common thread across much of continental Europe: a sharp squeeze on household incomes that has not eased despite official assurances of economic stability.

In France, the protests marked the third consecutive weekend of street action. Police reported hundreds of arrests as some demonstrators broke shop windows, looted goods, and clashed with security forces. French authorities launched an attempted murder investigation after a petrol bomb was thrown at police officers in one city, signalling the intensity of the confrontations.

In Germany, reports of looted shops and vandalism came from multiple cities as the protests turned violent. The concurrent timing of major demonstrations in both countries suggested a shared moment of discontent rather than a coordinated campaign, though activist networks have promoted cross-border solidarity.