France Opens Attempted-Murder Probe After Petrol Bomb Attack on Police

What changed

French prosecutors have opened an attempted-murder investigation after petrol bombs were thrown at police during Saturday’s unrest in Paris. A National Gendarmerie officer was filmed with his leg on fire; he suffered burns to his ankle and minor hand injuries, while 14 other officers were wounded.

Why it matters

The investigation raises the stakes around protests that began over the cost of living and poor public services, including schools. Hundreds of thousands demonstrated across France, but the violence has given authorities a sharper security argument: more than 770 people were arrested, thousands of officers were deployed, and tear gas was used in some cities.

The filmed attack also sits inside a widening confrontation over police tactics. Protest organisers say dozens of demonstrators have suffered serious injuries, while France suspended one type of stun grenade after a 15-year-old lost a hand. Police reportedly continued using a different model.

The officer said the device used against his unit burned more intensely than a standard Molotov cocktail. Police have not identified the liquid or reported an arrest in the filmed attack, so the investigation’s eventual charges remain unknown.