As large-scale anti-government protests in France have turned violent, the far-left group "Black Bloc" has been singled out as the mastermind behind the unrest.

According to the British daily Financial Times (FT) on the 21st local time, the Black Bloc is suspected of helping turn peaceful demonstrations held across France over the weekend into widespread riots and looting.

The Black Bloc has appeared at French protest sites for decades.

Ideologically linked to anarchism, anti-capitalism, and anti-fascism, the group rejects political parties and hierarchical organizational structures.

Its members typically wear black clothing and face coverings, clashing with police and attacking symbols of capitalism or the state.

Approximately 500,000 people participated in demonstrations held across France on October 17.

General citizens joined high school students protesting flaws in the education system to voice their anger over soaring living costs.

In Paris, hours before the official march began, people dressed in black hurled stones at police and set fire to streets at the starting point, Place de la République.

Protesters targeted various facilities perceived as symbols of money and power, with about 3,000 shops suffering damages from looting and other incidents across France.

The sight of the city hall in Limoges, central France, engulfed in flames delivered a major shock.

Authorities arrested a 34-year-old man who had been placed on a surveillance list due to suspected ties to far-left groups, in connection with the arson.

In this regard, Limoges Mayor Guillaume Guérin explained in an interview with the French daily Le Monde that far-left activists had prepared supplies for the attacks and planned them in advance.

Regarding them, he said, "They brought fireworks, mortars, and battering rams used to break down doors," adding, "You don't just carry such items around in a backpack."

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu also stated, "Uprising-like actions led by the far-left were planned in some areas."

However, the French government and prosecutors have not yet presented concrete evidence that far-left groups spearheaded the looting and other offenses.

According to sources cited by the FT, about 5,000 individuals among French far-left factions are considered at risk of engaging in violent behavior.

The Black Bloc originated from radical left-wing movements in West Germany in the 1980s and subsequently spread through anti-globalization protests.

In France, the group expanded its influence during the 2016 protests against labor law reforms.

They frequently share tactics via social media and encrypted messaging apps and gather spontaneously. Because they lack an organized leadership or system, authorities find it difficult to respond.

Experts analyze that as the Black Bloc's tactics spread even to ordinary protesters with weaker ideological leanings, authorities are facing increasingly difficult challenges in responding.

Thierry Vincent, author of "The Mental World of the Black Bloc," explained, "We should not think of Black Bloc activists as radical extremists isolated from other protesters," noting, "In reality, they are merely expressing widespread and spreading social anger in the most visible and radical way possible."

While U.S. President Donald Trump and European far-right politicians have characterized the violence as chaos resulting from failed immigration policies, no evidence has been confirmed that immigrants led the riots.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)