French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin announced on social media that 745 cars were set on fire across the country on New Year’s Eve, with 380 people arrested.
He further noted that compared to the previous year, there was a 10% decrease in the number of cars burned and arrests.
Last Friday, the French minister announced the deployment of over 90,000 police and gendarmes throughout France on New Year’s Eve to ensure security, law, and order in the face of an elevated terrorism threat level.
About 40 police officers suffered slight injuries, a 40% fall on last year, he added.
Law enforcement authorities had been eager to prove that 2024’s arrival could be celebrated without a major security crisis as they gear up for the Summer Games that open in Paris on July 26.
In Germany, New Year’s Eve also saw disturbances, with 15 police officers injured during riots and more than 250 people arrested.
