French authorities have opened an attempted murder investigation following a petrol bomb attack on security personnel during protests against the rising cost of living.
The attack happened on Saturday in Paris, where hundreds of thousands of people joined demonstrations for the third consecutive weekend. Similar protests were also held in other French cities, with demonstrators expressing concerns over increasing living costs and economic inequality.
The Paris Police Prefecture said several hundred protesters attacked security operatives with different objects, including a Molotov cocktail, during the clashes.
According to the prosecutor’s office, explosive devices were thrown at about 15 gendarmes and police officers. Gendarmes are military police officers who are part of the French armed forces.
Footage from the demonstration showed a homemade firebomb exploding at the feet of a security officer in eastern Paris, setting his lower body on fire. Prosecutors said the officer reportedly sustained second-degree burns, while an assessment of the injuries was still ongoing.
The prosecutor’s office confirmed that the incident was being investigated as an attempted murder of public officials. It added that no arrests had been made in connection with the attack, as investigations continued to identify those responsible.
Meanwhile, France’s Interior Ministry says more than 770 people were arrested during the nationwide protests. The ministry, however, reported no major incidents late Saturday.
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The French Chambers of Commerce and Industry also disclosed that about 20 businesses were damaged during the demonstrations, a figure lower than the damage recorded during previous protests. The body, however, warned that continued unrest could affect businesses ahead of the year-end holiday shopping season.
