Harrowing pictures reveal the devastating effects of Paris riots as 100s arrested and one person dead

Rioters across France have wreaked havoc on the country over the weekend following protests over poor school conditions and the rising cost of living.

French interior minister Laurent Nuñez said 110 marches drew about 550,000 people across the country on Saturday (October 17), while organisers put it at 800,000.

Hundreds of protesters gathered again on Sunday at the Place de la Republique in Paris amid a heavy police presence.

Officers used tear gas as tensions flared sporadically in the neighborhood, with small groups of people trying to set bicycles and trash cans on fire.

Reportedly demonstrators answered calls from a labour union, student organizations, and activists hoping to revive the 'yellow vest' movement, which emerged in 2018 to protest against social injustice.

Nuñez further described troublemakers as 'extremely violent, radical far-left groups' whom, he said, sought confrontations with police and targeted public buildings, including city halls and local government offices.

The protests took place across both Saturday and Sunday and, on Sunday alone, there were 350 arrests in Paris, says BBC News.

Meanwhile, over the whole of France, more than 2,400 people were arrested as a result of the riots. As well as Paris, there were demonstrations in cities such as Marseille, Lyon, Bordeaux, Rennes, Strasbourg, Grenoble, and Nice.

Speaking after this weekend's chaos, Nuñez admitted that police 'lost control'. Elsewhere French President Emmanuel Macron has expressed the public's 'anger' and 'shame' over the nationwide protests.

Macron echoed other government officials in blaming much of the violence on far-left activists, accusing them of attacking police and public buildings to foment chaos.

"Those who looted will have to pay back for the damage, and those who sought to bring down the Republic will be held accountable," Macron said in a televised address to the nation.

He denounced 'unrestrained violence' by 'insurrectionist elements from radical far-left groups, joined by numerous criminals'.

It's thought that an estimated 1,500 shops and businesses looted and destroyed during the unrest, which reportedly carried on into the early hours of this morning.

It's also reported that one person has died, according to French news outlet TF1info. The person is said to have died on Saturday 'following a cardiorespiratory arrest'.

A police source said: "This person, a man, collapsed on Boulevard Magenta in the 10th arrondissement, a boulevard taken by the procession.

"The victim was transported by protesters to the emergency center but died before its arrival."

Macron is set to host crisis talks today (October 19), The Independent reports. Sebastian Lecornu will convene an emergency meeting of the cabinet at 9am.

Nuñez had attempted to resign on Sunday because of the unrest. He said he felt he needed to step down from his role because he was 'entirely responsible for what happened', per France24.

But Macron rejected it. Addressing the decision, the Élysee palace said in a statement. "Given the necessity for continued leadership of law enforcement at this time, the president refused."