Emmanuel Macron warned that the perpetrators of the violent protests in France “will be pursued and punished.”

Massive social protests over the cost of living took place across France on Saturday, resulting in widespread violence, looting, and pillaging. French law enforcement detained approximately 400 people by late afternoon in response to the unrest, which shifted the focus of the demonstrations toward a direct conflict over public order and institutional control.

In response to the violence, French President Emmanuel Macron issued a strong penal warning, declaring that the perpetrators would be pursued and punished. Meanwhile, radical left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon, who had been accused by the government and the far right of instigating the violent turn, publicly distanced himself from the looting and pillaging.