French Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin stated that since October 17, during the mass protests against the rising cost of living, 4,914 people have been placed in police custody. He announced this on November 3 during an appearance on the BFMTV channel.
According to him, 70% of those detained are adults and 30% are minors. Darmanin stressed that these figures show the movement is driven by adults rather than a continuation of high-school student protests.
In addition, 1,820 people were brought from custody to court to be judged by a criminal court judge. A total of 404 imprisonment measures were issued, of which 329 people were actually incarcerated. The minister described this as an “extremely strong criminal justice response.”
Among those convicted, men predominate (95%), two-thirds are aged between 18 and 25, 70% are French citizens, and more than half had no prior criminal record. According to Darmanin, the profiles of those involved vary significantly depending on the date of the protests.
The protests against the high cost of living (rising fuel prices, falling purchasing power, and problems in education and public services) began in mid-September with actions by high-school students and university students. They were later joined by trade unions, the Yellow Vests movement, and other groups. The largest demonstration on October 17 gathered around 550,000 people according to the Interior Ministry (organizers put the figure at about 800,000) and was accompanied by unrest, looting of shops, arson, and clashes with police. Subsequent “acts” took place on October 24 and 31.
The authorities emphasize the need for a firm response to violence and looting during the demonstrations.
