Nearly 1,000 vehicles were set ablaze across France during New Year’s Eve celebrations, according to data released by the French Ministry of the Interior and reported by BFMTV. A total of 984 cars were torched between the night of December 31 and January 1.
Authorities detained 420 individuals and arrested 310 others in connection with the unrest. French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau reported widespread misuse of fireworks during the celebrations, resulting in multiple injuries.
In Lyon, a two-year-old child sustained serious facial injuries from fireworks, with the minister warning of potential “permanent disability” for the child. In Thonon-les-Bains, another person required emergency assistance after being hit by a firework.
Additionally, an apartment in Lormont was destroyed in a fire ignited by pyrotechnics, underscoring the extent of the night’s chaos.
The incidents highlight ongoing challenges in managing New Year’s Eve celebrations in France, where unrest and vandalism have become an unfortunate annual tradition.
