Paris riots: France investigates after petrol bomb sets officer on fire

Updated: 2 November 2026 - 10:14 GMT+1 France has opened an attempted murder investigation after petrol bombs were thrown at security forces during protests against the rising cost of living in Paris on Saturday. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets across France for a third weekend of demonstrations. Clashes erupted in Paris and other cities, with police reporting attacks involving projectiles and incendiary devices. Dramatic footage circulating on social media shows a police officer performing crowd-control duties when his leg suddenly catches fire after an explosive device goes off at his feet. Two colleagues struggle to extinguish the flames, while a man in a white T-shirt and straw hat rushes to help. They said they had singled out three individuals dressed in black in the style of Black Block protesters as suspects.