Protests in France

Several injured following massive demonstrations in France

Hundreds of thousands of people have protested against the high cost of living and an unequal education system in France, according to French media reports.

*Le Monde* reports that the protests were largely peaceful, though small groups engaged in violent confrontations with the police throughout the evening and night.

Several police officers and protesters were reportedly injured.

"It is no longer a matter of managing authorized demonstrations, but rather dealing with small groups that are constantly trying to break through police cordons in order to loot and commit acts of violence," says French Interior Ministry official Laurent Nuñez.

Police attacked with a firebomb in Paris: "Didn't see it coming"

At least five police officers were injured during the night's demonstrations in France, according to *Le Monde*. Three of them were reportedly attacked with improvised firebombs.

One of the officers, who sustained minor injuries, told BFMTV that he "narrowly escaped disaster."

Video footage from the protests in Paris shows a firebomb hitting the ground near a police officer, whose clothing then catches fire.

"I didn't see it coming, which makes it even harder to handle or protect myself against. You can't keep track of everything, and there is a constant barrage of projectiles," the officer says.

Firebomb attack on police investigated as attempted murder

The act of protesters throwing improvised firebombs at police during the demonstrations in Paris is being treated as attempted murder. This was stated by the public prosecutor’s office and Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez in a statement regarding the violence that took place overnight, French media report.

Images and footage showing one of the bombs exploding right next to several police officers have spread widely across the country. One of the officers’ legs caught fire. He told Franceinfo that the protesters intended to “inflict serious injuries” on the patrols.

“I have burns on my leg; it caught fire completely.”