Live: Vance blames immigration for violence during protests in France

Home Europe Live Issued on: 18/10/2026 - 05:09Modified: 18/10/2026 - 07:00 A fire burns at City Hall in Limoges after a group of individuals forced entry into the building during ongoing protest action on October 17, 2026. © Pascal Lachenaud, AFP US Vice President JD Vance blamed immigration for violence during protests in France on Saturday, sharing footage of a city hall on fire and warning Americans that congressional Democrats sought a similar future for the United States. Follow our liveblog for the latest updates. Yesterday's key developments: • Looters seized the opportunity to raid and vandalise a host of shops and businesses across France, from bakeries and supermarkets to tech stores. • A protester's hand was blown off by a police crowd-control grenade as nationwide demonstrations continued, with an estimated 800,000 people taking part. • Students, unions, and yellow vest protesters joined forces to protest against austerity measures and the cost of living. (FRANCE 24 with Reuters, AP and AFP) Keywords for this article