Casseurs Clash With Police as France Protests Turn Violent
Paris, November 1: Protests against the cost of living have swept across France for the third weekend running, drawing thousands to the streets. The demonstrations were largely orderly, but when the rallies began to disperse on Saturday, masked groups confronted police in Paris and other cities. Their presence has put the spotlight on the so-called casseurs and raised fresh concerns about public safety.
The word casseurs, French for 'breakers', refers to people who deliberately damage property and provoke confrontations during demonstrations. They do not operate as a registered group. Rather, they are loosely organised cells that appear when large protests are underway and then melt away.
Some analysts say that the groups tend to attract young people and activists who hold hard-left or ultra-left positions. There is no published membership roster and no identifiable central leadership, which complicates efforts to hold any single body accountable.
What is clear from a media investigation dated October 19 is the timing of their activity. Casseurs are generally found at the fringes of big marches or during their final phase, rather than at the core of the rallies. Their methods include clashes with officers and property damage. A number of them have also been seen at previous demonstrations.
They often cover their faces with masks and dark glasses, and wear black clothes. Reports say hammers, fireworks and items used for making petrol bombs have been recovered. Banks, real estate offices and major corporate outlets are among the frequently targeted sites. Nevertheless, not all those who take part in such violence come from the same background.
The events of October 31 followed a familiar script. According to the Interior Ministry, roughly 320,000 people took part in protests across France, with about 70,000 in Paris alone. Most gatherings passed without incident. In Paris, near Porte de Chatillon, dozens of masked people in black clothing dug up paving stones with hammers and threw them at police. An incendiary device was also tossed at security forces. In response, officers used tear gas, stun grenades and baton charges.
Police described a group of a few hundred rioters who kept up sustained attacks on them. Earlier, authorities had suggested that 400 to 800 hard-left activists might be in Paris. However, this was only an estimate, not a verified count of those who were arrested.
Halloween also posed a challenge for security agencies. Protesters dressed as Spider-Man, Frankenstein and other characters, while some used Halloween masks to cover their faces. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez had cautioned that people who hide their faces to avoid identification could be fined. Officials had also received social media posts calling on people to take to the streets on Halloween night and launch a 'revolution'.
The unrest has also sparked debate over who is responsible. Still, a media investigation found no solid grounds for linking casseurs directly to immigrant communities. Many of those involved are reportedly French citizens and young people with hard-left leanings. It would therefore be inaccurate to tie the masked groups to migrants or any particular community.
The protests started as a response to inflation, rising living costs, economic inequality and worsening public services. Students, trade unions and members of the Yellow Vest movement have been part of them. Subsequently, police operations and injuries to demonstrators brought calls for civil liberties and the right to protest into the movement.
Disorder first erupted on a large scale on October 17, when shops were looted and public buildings set alight in several cities. Violence returned during the weekend of October 31. By the afternoon, police had arrested 511 people, against 217 arrests.
Student organisations have announced that they intend to shut schools and universities during the first week of November. They will also join workers' unions in a protest on November 5.