Paris prosecutors open attempted-murder probe over Molotov attack on gendarme

Paris prosecutors opened an investigation for attempted murder of a public official on Sunday after a gendarme was set alight by a Molotov cocktail during a protest against the cost of living in the French capital a day earlier, prosecutors said.

The attack happened late on Saturday near Porte de Charenton, in the 12th arrondissement, as clashes broke out between security forces and people the Paris police prefecture described as rioters, Le Parisien reported. Prosecutors said about fifteen gendarmes and police officers were targeted by thrown explosive devices during the disorder.

Footage that circulated widely online showed a device exploding at a gendarme's feet, setting fire to the protective gear on his legs. The injured gendarme later told BFMTV the scene was chaotic and hostile, saying he could not tell where each projectile came from and that people on the boulevard around him were clearly not peaceful demonstrators. He told RTL that the plastic parts of his leg protection had melted, though the adrenaline of the moment kept him from grasping how serious it was until he watched the footage back.

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez called the incident an attempted murder on Saturday night and said the gendarme, who was lightly hurt, was treated by colleagues and able to continue his duty. No suspect had been arrested over the attack by Sunday, prosecutors said.

The protest was the third in a wave of demonstrations against the cost of living in France. The interior ministry said 779 people were arrested nationwide that day, though it described the later part of the evening as without major incident.