On the night of July 14 into the early hours of July 15, authorities in France detained 96 people, according to BFMTV, which cited information from the Ministry of the Interior. The patrols and checks were part of an intensified security operation tied to the National Day celebrations. A total of 255 vehicles were set ablaze in the incidents that unfolded across several cities, underscoring the challenges faced by law enforcement on a holiday known for gatherings, parades, and public leisure.
In separate updates from the same report, seven police officers sustained injuries during the events, and there were 51 recorded cases of fireworks directed at police forces or linked to criminal activity. The incidents reflected a mix of celebration, vandalism, and confrontations that made up a portion of the day’s criminal and security narrative.
Across Paris and the surrounding suburbs, authorities reported 53 detentions and 62 confirmed arsons. The capital space, with its dense concentration of celebrations, emerged as a focal point for both public festivities and security operations designed to prevent and respond to unrest.
French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin provided remarks about how the National Day unfolded this year, noting a broad spectrum of official activities and public observances. He highlighted that festive events spread across the country included concerts and fireworks, with the overall damage markedly less than what was observed in the year 2022, indicating a relative improvement in public safety outcomes.
In 2023, National Day celebrations in France occurred under security measures described as unprecedented in scale. The heightened vigilance accompanied a day traditionally associated with large public gatherings, military parades, and communal events that attract spectators from across the nation and abroad.
The backdrop to these events traces to the broader social environment. Protests began in late June after the death of a 17-year-old in a Paris suburb, an event that sparked demonstrations in Nanterre and quickly spread to Lille and Toulouse. The protests evolved into larger clashes with police presence, as residents voiced concerns and expressed discontent, shifting the momentum from peaceful assembly to confrontations in several urban centers.
As the unrest progressed, footage and eyewitness accounts depicted a range of actions, including protests that escalated to episodes where some demonstrators targeted police officers with improvised incendiary devices. The sequence of events around National Day thus encompassed both celebratory and disruptive elements, shaping a narrative that authorities sought to manage through increased patrols, rapid response units, and coordinated city-level planning. Attribution: BFMTV with information from the Ministry of the Interior, and ongoing reporting from national security briefings—presenting a composite view of the day’s activities and their security implications.