Such scenes shocked France as rioting erupted last month during nationwide protests over high living costs and strained public services.
Government officials have repeatedly blamed far-left radicals and “opportunistic delinquents,” who they say took advantage of mostly peaceful demonstrations to attack symbols of State authority and capitalism across France.
asserted
they → shock → France
But the authorities’ heavy-handed response, including thousands of arrests, police beatings and curbs on marches, has added to the volatile mix of grievances fuelling an anti-Government groundswell that shows no sign of abating before next year’s presidential election, Reuters found.
asserted
Reuters → include → election
Reuters journalists reviewed dozens of videos of the violence, attended the court hearings of 26 people accused of taking part and interviewed over 50 Government officials, police officers, attorneys, protesters and witnesses to understand how a movement that began in September with small protests over conditions in State schools spiralled into some of the worst civil unrest in years.
asserted
that → review → years
Police tactics have faced scrutiny since the start due to the life-changing injuries suffered by some young people, including blown-off hands and lost eyes.
asserted
tactics → face → hands
United Nations and other human rights experts have also raised concerns about the arrest of nearly 7,000 minors during sometimes-violent school blockades, which they said was disproportionate.
asserted
they → raise → blockades
Images of riot police baton-charging teenagers fanned support for the students from a diverse array of protesters, including parents, teachers, left-wing politicians and trade unionists, who joined their marches.
“We have rights,” said Emilie Berthier de Grandry, 42, who has attended four demonstrations in Paris with her 15-year-old son, Aaron, dressed in an inflatable shark costume.
asserted
who → charge → costume
“We’re not going to let ourselves be pushed around.”
asserted
ourselves → go → ?
Nationwide demonstrations on October 17 also brought a resurgence of so-called yellow-vest protesters, an anti-establishment movement that faced off against President Emmanuel Macron’s Government in 2018-2019 over high fuel prices.
asserted
that → bring → prices
The violent outbursts were so intense that day that police lost control of entire neighbourhoods to rioters and looters in France’s three largest cities: Paris, Marseille and Lyon.
asserted
police → lose → cities
Every week since then, people have taken to the streets across France to voice their anger at police and the Government.
asserted
people → take → police
While the protests after October 17 were calmer, clashes erupted when police sought to disperse demonstrators as marches wound down.
asserted
marches → erupt → demonstrators
Officers repeatedly fired tear gas and charged groups of protesters who pelted them with bottles, paving stones and mortar-style fireworks.
asserted
who → fire → bottles
On October 24, far-right gangs entered the fray saying they wanted to protect businesses and clashed with protesters in several cities, authorities said.
asserted
authorities → enter → cities
The Interior Ministry, which oversees the police, said internal watchdogs have launched 161 investigations into allegations of officer violence against protesters since September.
asserted
watchdogs → oversee → September
Responding to Reuters questions, the Interior Ministry said force is used in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.
asserted
force → respond → laws
The Minister, Laurent Nunez, has expressed regret for injuries caused by explosive weapons used in crowd control, including stun grenades.
asserted
Minister → express → grenades
But he has resisted calls to ban them, saying security forces must be able to defend themselves.
asserted
forces → resist → themselves
Mr. Nunez has acknowledged security lapses, telling lawmakers that authorities didn’t anticipate the scale of the October 17 violence.
asserted
authorities → acknowledge → violence
He credits a massive security operation, including the deployment of 70,000 police officers and paramilitary gendarmes, for maintaining public order at subsequent protests.
asserted
He → credit → protests
But he says security forces still face “a great deal of violence” at demonstrations, including a petrol-bomb attack that injured three gendarmes in Paris on Halloween.
asserted
that → say → Halloween
The unrest comes at a difficult time for Mr. Macron, who won’t be standing for election again in April.
asserted
who → come → April
Strained public finances leave him little room to meet protesters’ demands, and his centrist party no longer has the majority needed to pass major legislation.
asserted
party → leave → legislation
Mr. Macron has promised to both “listen to the anger” and “impose respect of the Republican order.”
asserted
Macron → promise → order
The Government has sought to appease protesters with proposals to improve education and the decision to bring forward a planned minimum-wage increase.
asserted
Government → seek → increase
Student leaders and major trade unions say the moves don’t go far enough and have vowed to keep up the pressure.
asserted
moves → say → pressure
AN ORCHESTRA HIT WITH TEAR GAS
On October 17, protesters started gathering in Paris’ Place de la Republique hours before a march was due to start at 2 p.m.
Sousaphone in hand, Mael Roth arrived at about 11 a.m. for a warm-up session with the Orchestre du Nouveau Monde, a 400-piece classical orchestra that planned to perform in support of the marchers.
asserted
that → gather → marchers
The musicians were playing “The Avengers” theme song when the first clouds of tear gas wafted into the square about an hour later, the 20-year-old told Reuters.
asserted
old → play → Reuters
At first, he said, they assumed it wasn’t aimed at them and kept playing.
asserted
it → say → them
But within 30 minutes, tear gas canisters were landing at their feet.
asserted
canisters → land → feet
Reuters video shows riot police using tear gas around that time to drive back a group of protesters who tried to march down Rue du Faubourg du Temple, a street leading off the square.
asserted
who → show → square
Elodie Aldila, who works at a patisserie on the street, welcomed the protection.
asserted
who → work → protection
Other businesses in the area were ransacked later that day.
asserted
businesses → ransack → area
Mr. Roth, however, didn’t see why the musicians couldn’t remain in the square.
asserted
musicians → see → square
Their aim was to “make people feel good,” he said.
asserted
he → make → ?
“It was tough to feel … like we’re not legitimate.”
asserted
we → feel → ?
A huge crowd of mostly peaceful demonstrators soon filled the square again.
asserted
crowd → fill → square
But by then, the orchestra had packed up and left.
asserted
orchestra → pack → ?
As tensions built through the afternoon, bands of protesters spread into surrounding streets, smashing storefronts, erecting barricades and setting fire to cars and bicycles.
asserted
bands → build → cars
, police wielding batons beat a man to the ground after a heated exchange on the edge of the square, video verified by Reuters shows.
asserted
video → wield → Reuters
Rumours of the man’s death spread on social media, further inflaming tensions.
asserted
Rumours → spread → tensions
…and 44 more, not listed.
The Aporia
