French authorities fear vigilante justice

In France, amid protests and riots, the authorities fear vigilante justice against those taking part in the unrest on the part of residents, including the owners of looted stores.

Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin stated that criminal punishment must be «extremely harsh» in order to prevent a situation in which residents begin to «dispense justice themselves».

Recall that France has been swept by a wave of mass unrest, which has become one of the largest in recent decades. Over the weekend, on October 17–18, demonstrations against the rising cost of living and problems in the education system escalated into clashes with police, the torching of cars, the looting of stores, and attacks on administrative buildings.