Macron mulls state of emergency after riots in Paris

French President Emmanuel Macron visited the Arc de Triomphe on Sunday upon returning from the Group of 20 (G-20) summit in Argentina to assess the damage from massive riots around the Paris monument.
The Associated Press reported that protesters looted businesses, vandalized buildings and monuments and clashed with police amid unrest over rising taxes and high living costs. Police fired tear gas and water cannons to disperse the crowds. At least 110 people were injured in the mayhem.
Macron briefly addressed the riots while at the G-20 on Saturday, the AP reported. He vowed those who vandalized the Arc de Triomphe and attacked police would be held responsible.
{mosads}Reuters reported that Macron will meet with other government officials on Sunday to discuss a response, including potentially declaring a state of emergency.
French government spokesman Benjamin Griveaux said the government is open to discussing the underlying issues with protesters, but will not change course.
“We have to think about measures that can be taken so that these incidents don’t happen again,” Griveaux said, according to Reuters.
The riots mark the latest challenge for Macron, who has been dealing with sinking approval ratings amid economic struggles in France.
A poll published in mid-November found that 25 percent of the country approves of Macron, down 4 percentage points from an October poll.
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