There is despair in France over how to stop a violent upheaval turning into a social collapse. The breakdown in order is so widespread, that it is impossible to turn away with a Gallic shrug.

There is despair in France over how to stop a violent upheaval turning into a social collapse. The breakdown in order is so widespread, that it is impossible to turn away with a Gallic shrug.

French soldiers will reinforce police on the streets of Paris as the government continues its crackdown on would-be rioters, amid reports of more protests on the way and new polls showing the far-right edging ahead.

French soldiers will reinforce police on the streets of Paris as the government continues its crackdown on would-be rioters, amid reports of more protests on the way and new polls showing the far-right edging ahead.

The French protests can easily look like one vast throng. Reporting from Paris, David Crowe finds there are at least two and possibly three movements at work.

There’s still some sympathy with the protesters’ original demands, but it’s hard to escape the sense that these riots reflect a modern France facing troubled times, reports David Crowe from Paris.