Pakistan, Oct. 19 -- France was reeling on Sunday from widespread damage caused by violent protests the day before that saw 1,800 people arrested, a historic town hall torched and widespread looting.

"It's like we had a war," a 78-year-old resident in central Paris, Mehmet Ozeden, told AFP amid burnt street barricades from the protests.

The convulsion raised the stakes for French President Emmanuel Macron, who is in his final months in power before elections to replace him in six months' time. It followed weeks of student protests that had also turned violent at times. Macron was to address the nation Sunday evening at 1800 GMT, his office said, after meeting key ministers.

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said 1,800 people were arreste...