UK and China respond to violent protests in France as unrest claims lives

UK condemns protest violence in France as China warns citizens

Britain's government condemned violent protests that swept across France over the weekend, while China issued travel warnings to its citizens as the country grappled with its worst civil unrest in years.

More than 2,500 people were arrested after approximately half a million demonstrators turned out across France on Saturday to protest against the rising cost of living. The protests, which began in mid-September at high schools in Paris' working-class northern suburbs over teacher shortages and inadequate facilities, evolved into a broader movement focused on inequality and economic hardship.

One protester died of a heart attack during the demonstrations in Paris, with prosecutors launching an investigation to determine the cause of death. Nearly 1,000 police officers, gendarmes and firefighters were injured, including seven seriously wounded, according to the interior ministry.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who became Britain's leader in July after serving nine years as Mayor of Greater Manchester, said there was no excuse for the violence.

Clearly, the violence we're seeing on the streets of France is unacceptable. While the power to protest is at the heart of democracy, this can never excuse violence.

The spokesman urged Britons living in France to follow local advice from authorities. Burnham is the seventh British Prime Minister in a decade, having replaced Keir Starmer who resigned in June.

China issues travel warning

China's foreign ministry and its embassy in France warned citizens to raise their risk awareness, closely monitor the local situation, strengthen safety precautions, and avoid demonstration areas, state broadcaster CCTV reported. The warning cited "violent incidents and clashes between police and civilians" as the reason for the alert.

Widespread destruction and looting

Town halls and shops were looted and set on fire in scenes of destruction across the country. The historic 19th-century town hall in Limoges was gutted by fire during the protests, resulting in the complete destruction of the building.

French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, 39, who was appointed in September 2025 as the country's fifth Prime Minister in less than two years, responded by asking regional authorities to impose localized curfews on Monday evening. Lecornu had previously served as France's defense minister since 2022.

Mounting tensions

The scale of the unrest reflects mounting public anger over economic pressures. France is experiencing a fuel crisis with diesel prices hitting record highs near €2.41 per liter, driven by global supply disruptions related to tensions in the Middle East and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

More than 6,700 children had been taken into police custody since mid-September when the high school protests began, according to reports published in the week before Saturday's demonstrations. France's police inspectorate, the IGPN, had opened 36 investigations into alleged police violence since the protests began, according to figures released by the Ministry of the Interior on October 13.

On October 7, Prime Minister Lecornu had promised to present measures to address student grievances by the end of the month, stating that security forces were not instructed to crack down on the protests. However, the situation deteriorated dramatically in the following days, culminating in Saturday's widespread violence.