French interior minister reports 60 security officers injured after protests

Sixty internal security officers were injured during protests across France on October 17, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said.

Two injured officers were taken to hospital unconscious, the minister told a news conference broadcast by BFMTV. He linked the injuries to attacks during the unrest.

Protests over rising living costs were accompanied by clashes with police and the looting of shops. Security forces used tear gas and water cannon to disperse rioters.

Nunez's preliminary figures put detentions at around 400 nationwide. The Interior Ministry estimated that 550,000 people protested across France, including 110,000 in Paris.