French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen vows “rioter pays” policy after unrest, says anger does not justify looting or attacks

French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen said Sunday that public anger over living conditions must not be confused with rioting, looting or attacks on police and public institutions, and pledged that people who cause damage would be made to pay for it if she comes to power.

Speaking in an eight-minute address on October 18, a day after nationwide protests descended into violence in several French cities, Le Pen said France was facing “a profound crisis of confidence and authority” that threatened democracy.

“Behind every looted business lies the work of entire lives,” Le Pen said. “Behind every police officer assaulted, behind every public servant threatened, it is the Republic itself that is attacked.”

She said France “cannot, must not, and will never become accustomed to such scenes,” after shops were looted, public buildings attacked and police injured during the October 17 unrest. Reuters reported that more than 2,400 people were arrested and nearly 1,000 police officers were injured nationwide.

Le Pen said years of people feeling ignored had turned fear, hardship and complaints into exasperation and, in some cases, anger. But she drew a distinction between that anger and violence.

“There are millions of French people who are angry, but who do not smash anything, loot anything, or burn anything,” she said. “I firmly condemn the exploitation of this anger by political forces that encourage violence. I equally condemn the hijacking of this anger by thugs who spread chaos throughout the cities of France.” Her remarks were reported in French media on Sunday.

Le Pen said the first principle she would apply if elected was responsibility, under what she called “the rule: the rioter pays.”

“Whoever breaks the law must answer for their actions. Whoever causes damage must pay for it,” she said. “Anyone who attacks public property, businesses, or representatives of the state must know that the Republic will not back down.”

She also called for justice to be “swift and effective” and for both criminal and financial penalties to be genuinely enforced and designed to deter future violence. French reports of her address confirm that she pledged to apply the “casseur-payeur” — or “rioter pays” — principle if she takes power.

The unrest followed nationwide demonstrations over the cost of living and public services. Reuters reported that protests on October 17 drew about 550,000 people according to the Interior Ministry, while organizers put the number at 800,000.