France riots spread across Europe as thousands arrested in clashes

Key Points:

• Protests and clashes have spread across Europe, starting with student demonstrations in France over school conditions and expanding to other countries with local grievances.
• French President Emmanuel Macron deployed 70,000 police officers and vowed to hold rioters accountable, while condemning foreign leaders like Donald Trump for exploiting France’s unrest for political purposes.
• Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni took a tough stance by sending 500 soldiers to Milan and approving harsher penalties for minors involved in vandalism, aiming to deter further violence.
• Greece, Belgium, Albania, and Spain have also faced protests, with Belgium accusing Antifa-linked activists of inciting violence, Albania experiencing escalating clashes demanding the prime minister’s resignation, and Barcelona authorities promising legal consequences for rioters.
• Most demonstrations remained peaceful, but police across affected countries used tear gas, water cannons, and made numerous arrests to control outbreaks of violence and looting.