PARIS, October 26. /TASS/. French President Emmanuel Macron acknowledged that authorities in the republic were unprepared for the nationwide unrest on October 17.
"We did not foresee what happened at all," Macron said during a visit to Marseille as he admitted that police were understaffed on that day. The president’s speech was broadcast on the Elysee Palace’s account on X.
According to the French leader, "on October 17, the left radical wing had been mobilizing since early morning in a scenario that is atypical of them."
Mass rallies against rising fuel prices and declining purchasing power took place across France, including in the capital, Paris, on October 17. According to organizers, 800,000 people took part in the demonstrations, while the Interior Ministry put the figure at 550,000, which exceeded estimates from analysts at security agencies by half. In several cities, protests escalated into riots and clashes with police. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez pledged that the clampdown on all participants in pogroms and looters will be continued.