French President Emmanuel Macron is facing criticism over his decision to attend a Celine Dion concert Friday night, on the eve of nationwide demonstrations that descended into violence, leaving hundreds of emergency personnel injured and nearly 1,800 people arrested.

Macron and his wife, Brigitte, were spotted at Dion’s concert at the Plenitude Arena in Nanterre, west of Paris, according to French media reports. The couple reportedly arrived and left discreetly and were among roughly 35,000 spectators at the performance.

The concert came after Macron spent Thursday and Friday in Brussels attending a European Council meeting. During a news conference in Brussels on Friday, he called for "calm and respect" ahead of Saturday’s planned demonstrations, saying the right to protest must be exercised with respect for people and property. 

By Saturday, demonstrations over rising living costs, school conditions and declining public services had escalated into clashes with police, fires, looting and attacks on public buildings in several cities.

VIOLENCE ERUPTS AT FRANCE PROTESTS AS MACRON WARNS UNREST IS BEING EXPLOITED

French authorities said Sunday that nearly 1,800 people had been arrested nationwide, including 855 in the Paris region. More than 500 police officers, gendarmes and firefighters were injured, according to Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez. One protester died after suffering cardiac arrest during demonstrations in Paris, authorities said.

In Limoges, a fire that authorities said was deliberately set at the city hall caused significant damage to the historic building. Shops were looted in Paris, Bordeaux, Marseille, Lyon and other cities, while public buildings were vandalized or targeted by fires.

Authorities estimated that more than 550,000 people participated in demonstrations across France. Organizers put the figure at roughly 800,000.

Macron condemned the destruction Saturday evening, writing on X that those responsible for damaging property, attacking public buildings and looting businesses would face prosecution and punishment. He also expressed support for law enforcement and warned against efforts to undermine French institutions.

His statement came after violence had spread through several major cities, raising questions about the government's preparations for the demonstrations and its ability to contain the unrest.

The hostilities began as a month-long student movement over school conditions and teacher shortages in working-class suburbs before broadening into a larger protest movement against inequality, public spending cuts and the rising cost of living.

LIMOGES TOWN HALL ‘LARGELY LOST’ AFTER FAR-LEFT RIOTERS SET HISTORIC BUILDING ON FIRE AMID FRENCH UNREST

Government officials have blamed violent groups and looters for the destruction. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu attributed the unrest to the "ultra-left" and criminals, while opposition leaders criticized the government's handling of the violence ahead of next year’s presidential election.

Right-wing leader Marine Le Pen condemned the looting and destruction, while left-wing leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon defended the protesters’ broader grievances and criticized the government’s handling of the demonstrations. Mélenchon accused Lecornu of "playing with fire," according to reports.

The violence also left businesses facing extensive damage and mounting financial losses. Carrefour CEO Alexandre Bompard told French television that 50 of the retailer’s stores were damaged, including 20 that were looted, with losses estimated in the tens of millions of euros, according to Reuters.

The mayors of Paris, Marseille and Lyon have requested a meeting with the prime minister to discuss the damage. Local officials in Marseille and Bordeaux have announced or proposed emergency assistance for affected businesses.

Macron is scheduled to address the nation at 8 p.m. local time Sunday, or 2 p.m. Eastern, after meeting with senior government officials. His speech will come as France begins a nationwide cleanup effort and authorities prepare prosecutions for those arrested.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The address will mark a critical test for Macron as his government faces mounting pressure over the scale of the destruction, the police response and the economic grievances that fueled the demonstrations.

Pope Leo XIV made a remarkable return to the Vatican on Sunday, appearing before thousands of Catholic faithful in St. Peter's Square just five days after undergoing surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from his lung.

The 71-year-old pontiff delivered his traditional Angelus prayer from a window overlooking the square, marking his first official engagement since being discharged Saturday from Rome's Gemelli hospital, where doctors removed the lower lobe of his right lung.

Leo thanked the faithful for their prayers and support throughout his hospitalization, saying his recent health struggles had brought him closer to those suffering from illness. He also expressed gratitude to the doctors, nurses and hospital staff who cared for him following the operation.

POPE LEO XIV DISCHARGED FROM HOSPITAL, WILL RETURN TO VATICAN AFTER SURGERY TO REMOVE LUNG CANCER

The first American-born pope said he planned to gradually resume his regular activities with God's help and the continued prayers of the faithful.

During his Angelus address, Leo reflected on one of Jesus' best-known teachings, "Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor's, and to God the things that are God's," urging Christians to live with integrity and resist hypocrisy.

His return came sooner than expected after doctors initially anticipated a hospital stay of approximately one week following Tuesday's surgery.

As he departed the hospital on Saturday, the pope told a reporter in English that he was doing "much better."

Claire Holland, visiting from Jacksonville, Fla., told The Associated Press she felt "very blessed" to witness the pope's return.

"I think there have been millions and millions of prayers. And he is a strong determined man, and I am so happy that he is feeling well enough to do this," Holland said.

POPE LEO UNDERGOES BLOOD TESTS, X-RAY FOLLOWING CANCER SURGERY, VATICAN SAYS

The surgery marked the first major health crisis of Leo's 17-month pontificate. Doctors confirmed that the tumor was adenocarcinoma, the most common form of lung cancer.

Doctors are conducting further testing on the tumor and surrounding lymph nodes to determine the extent of the disease and whether additional treatment, including chemotherapy, immunotherapy or targeted therapy, may be necessary.

The pope is scheduled to visit Uruguay, Argentina and Peru from Nov. 6 through Nov. 17, a demanding itinerary that includes a dozen flights and two helicopter rides to high-altitude destinations.

His surgeon, Dr. Stefano Margaritora, told Vatican News on Saturday that the pope appears well enough to go on the trip.

"The Holy Father has put his heart and soul into his recovery," Margaritora said, adding that he expected Leo to recover fully from the surgery "in another 10 days or so."

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

"As for a long trip involving air travel in about three weeks, I would say there are no clinical reasons why it should not take place," Margaritora said.

Fox News’ Courtney Walsh and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Canadian officials confirmed fatalities and injuries following a serious incident that sparked a major fire at one of the country's busiest military bases Saturday.

Canadian Defense Minister David McGuinty confirmed the incident at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright in Alberta, a major Army training installation.

He did not immediately specify how many people were killed or injured.

"I’m saddened to share that there have been both fatalities and injuries as a result of an incident on the base," McGuinty told reporters.

AT LEAST 1 KILLED, 34 FIREFIGHTERS AND EMS WORKERS INJURED IN 'MAJOR' STATEN ISLAND SHIPYARD EXPLOSION: FDNY

McGuinty said the fire was still burning Saturday evening.

"I cannot recall an incident like this in recent memory," he added.

The municipality of Wainwright said the fire had spread beyond the military base's perimeter into the surrounding area.

FAST-MOVING SANDY FIRE BURNS HUNDREDS OF ACRES IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, FORCING EVACUATIONS IN SIMI VALLEY AREA

However, local officials said no evacuation orders had been issued.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney addressed the incident in a post on X.

"A serious incident creating a major fire has occurred at CFB Wainwright, in Alberta," Carney wrote. "Our thoughts are with all the brave women and men affected."

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith described the incident in a post on X as a "significant and tragic fire" that affected military personnel at the base.

The Canadian Armed Forces, Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and local emergency personnel were responding to the incident, according to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC).

AMTRAK FIRE NEAR PENN STATION TRIGGERS MAJOR NYC COMMUTER DISRUPTIONS, NJ TRANSIT AND LIRR CANCELLATIONS

"The Canadian Armed Forces, the Department of National Defence, partners across the federal government, including public safety, are working with the government of Alberta and municipal governments to mobilize all necessary support," McGuinty said.

Canadian Forces Base Wainwright is located roughly 130 miles east of Edmonton and had approximately 1,310 military and civilian personnel stationed there in 2021, according to census figures cited by Reuters.

The nearby town of Wainwright has a population of approximately 6,600.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

It was not immediately clear what caused the incident.

Fox News Digital's Bradford Betz and Reuters contributed to this report.

A historic building in the French town of Limoges, about three hours south of Paris, has been "largely lost" after it was set on fire by rioters as demonstrations continue across France.

The Limoges Town Hall was built in 1883, and was made a historic landmark in 1975.

"The roof has collapsed onto lower floors, except the west wing, and two-thirds of the exterior has already disappeared," the local prefect, Maurice Barate, told the AFP news agency.

MASSIVE FIRE DESTROYS 400-YEAR-OLD FOOD MARKET, LEAVING HISTORIC LANDMARK IN RUINS

Barate called it "a deliberate act by hooligans," adding that it was a "catastrophe for heritage." 

The destruction came as far-left anti-government protests and violent clashes entered their fourth week in the European country over the cost of living.

On Saturday, outgoing President Emmanuel Macron wrote on social media: "There is no place for violence in our republic."

FRANCE EXPLODES AGAIN AS STUDENTS RIOT OVER EDUCATION

"Those who have broken, attacked the prefectures as well as businesses, looted even our town halls, will be prosecuted and punished," he added translated from French. "To the law enforcement forces, guarantors of the right to demonstrate, I express the support of the Nation. We will all stand united against the sowers of chaos, who seek only to bring down our institutions and prevent those who peacefully express their demands from doing so."

Macron leaves office in six months.

GRETA THUNBERG JOINS MASSIVE FRENCH STUDENT PROTESTS AS CARS BURN, POLICE FIRE TEAR GAS

Around 400 people were arrested on Saturday, according to Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez, as more than a half million people took part in more than 100 marches across the country.

Masked groups also attempted to break into city halls in Lille and Calais and a police station in Brest, the interior minister reported, along with violence in Rennes, Toulouse, Montpellier and Grenoble, among other cities.

BEHIND FRANCE'S STUDENT RIOTS: COMMUNISTS, UNIONS AND A GLOBAL PROPAGANDA NETWORK

Nuñez blamed the unrest on "extremely violent, radical far-left groups."

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

While many of the protests were without violence, many have descended into riots. Police used tear gas and water cannons on Saturday to disperse violent groups in Paris, where people wearing hoods and masks threw fireworks and other objects at officers in the Place de la République.