France launches attempted murder probe after Paris attack
French prosecutors opened an attempted murder investigation after incendiary devices were thrown at security forces at the end of a demonstration in Paris…
Paris prosecutors opened an attempted murder investigation on Sunday after incendiary devices were thrown at security forces at the end of a demonstration in the French capital. The attack targeted about 15 gendarmes and police officers at Porte de Charenton, as protests over living costs and government policies ended in violence.
No suspects had been arrested in connection with the attack, prosecutors said. Investigators were still assessing the number and severity of injuries, with reported cases including second-degree burns and tinnitus.
Authorities recorded 779 arrests nationwide during demonstrations and Halloween night. The total covers both events and replaced a provisional figure of 565 reported on Saturday evening.
Photographs and video showed an incendiary device exploding at a gendarme’s feet and setting his protective equipment alight. The incident occurred where Saturday’s march ended.
What happened during the Paris protest?
Prosecutors said explosive projectiles were thrown at roughly 15 gendarmes and police officers. The Paris investigation concerns attempted murder of people holding public authority.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez also described the attack as attempted murder. The injuries reported by prosecutors included second-degree burns and tinnitus, but the assessment remained provisional.
The case is separate from the broader arrest count. Paris prosecutors reported 105 arrests in the capital: 88 connected to demonstrations and 17 to Halloween night. Eighty-nine people remained in custody, including at least 22 minors.
Across France, the Interior Ministry counted 320,000 demonstrators. Unions put turnout at nearly 500,000, a substantial difference in estimates of the scale of protests focused on high living costs and government policies.
Arrests and the impact on businesses
The nationwide total of 779 arrests was below the 1,314 recorded during the previous Saturday’s mobilization and the 2,628 reported on October 17, when widespread rioting and looting broke out. Authorities had stepped up security before Halloween amid online calls for violence.
The ministry said the later part of Halloween night passed without major incidents. The gap between the nationwide and Paris figures reflects arrests tied to both the demonstrations and Halloween activity, rather than the Porte de Charenton attack alone.
The violence also carries a direct cost for businesses. France’s Chambers of Commerce and Industry said about 20 businesses were affected on the sidelines of Saturday’s protests, while CCI France expressed concern about disruption to retail activity ahead of the year-end holiday season, a peak period for shops.
That concern reaches beyond damage to individual premises: unrest during a major retail period can interrupt trading when businesses depend on customer activity. CCI France’s warning came as authorities continued to investigate the attack and determine the extent of injuries.
The nationwide arrest count stood at 779, while prosecutors said no one had been arrested over the attack on the officers.
