France's government under pressure after weekend of widespread violence

Image source, AFP via Getty ImagesImage caption, President Emmanuel Macron urged calm in his national address following widespread looting and violenceByKatya AdlerEurope editor, Reporting fromParisFrance's Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu is holding a crisis cabinet meeting on Monday to assess a weekend of violence and looting across the country, in what were some of the worst scenes of public disorder in modern French history.On Saturday over half a million mainly peaceful protesters demonstrated against rising living costs and dwindling access to decent public services, including a good state education. But the protests turned nasty after groups of black-clad, masked activists and vandals appeared.An estimated 1,500 shops and businesses were looted and destroyed. Riot police fired tear gas and turned water cannon on crowds. They were seen hitting people with batons in several places. France's interior ministry said about 1,000 police officers were injured on Saturday, seven of them seriously.There had been rumours in France that President Emmanuel Macron may introduce a temporary curfew in parts of the country, or even impose a state of emergency to help calm the febrile atmosph...