'EPIC TROLLING': Chinese glass firm cashes in on France riots with viral break-in video | Watch

A Chinese glass supplier has won itself a wave of free publicity by repurposing footage of failed break-in attempts during France's October unrest to showcase its shatter-resistant product. Hengxinfeng Special-Glass Co. Ltd., from China's Henan province, shared the video on social media without having to spend even a penny on production. The clip, taken from looting that erupted amid student protests over education and living costs, showed extensive cracking yet no breach of the glass, drawing amused reactions from viewers.

The repurposed footage highlighted the glass's durability, sparking conversations about storefront security while mixing praise for the clever marketing with questions about the claims.

Watch the video here:

A country on edge

The video surfaced as French authorities grapple with nationwide cost-of-living protests that have spilled over into violence.

According to AFP, the October 17 riots in Paris and other cities saw some 3,000 shops attacked, many of them looted, with the sector's trade body estimating costs running into hundreds of millions of euros. The violence, the worst France has seen in years, occurred on the margins of nationwide demonstrations rallying more than half a million people against the high cost of living.

President Emmanuel Macron has sought to project an image of a government firmly in control, calling for the looting and vandalism seen on October 17 to "never" happen again.

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The demonstrations have come six months ahead of a presidential election to replace centrist Macron. Authorities have admitted to security and intelligence failures that paved the way for the clashes, large-scale looting and vandalism of public property that erupted on October 17, and had stepped up security for the protests last Saturday.

Officials pledged to remain vigilant ahead of the new demonstrations. "From a security standpoint, we've largely turned things around," said a Macron aide.

Nearly 1500 arrested over France's violent protests

A total of 1,435 people were arrested on the sidelines of the weekend protests, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said, adding there were "no serious incidents." He said 267 police officers and gendarmes were injured, along with 150 protesters, including three who were seriously hurt.

The unrest followed weeks of demonstrations by students campaigning for better learning conditions. The police response has been criticised as heavy-handed and sparked a broader movement against the cost of living and police violence. Several teenage protesters have been seriously injured and thousands arrested.

Protesters face legal liability

The French parliament's upper house passed a bill Wednesday (Oct 28) that would make protesters financially liable for damage caused during street demonstrations, despite warnings from critics that it could curb the right to protest.

The bill was drafted in response to riots that followed Paris Saint-Germain's victory over Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League final in May. But it has taken on added significance after weeks of protests over inequality and soaring prices culminated in some of the worst violence France has seen in years on October 17.

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The Senate passed an expanded version of the bill by 229 votes to 105, backed by a right-wing and centrist alliance which holds a majority. The legislation has been sent to the National Assembly, which is split between France's political factions, for debate and voting.

Under the legislation, protesters could be ordered to pay up to 10,000 euros for damage caused during street demonstrations. But critics argue that people who took no part in vandalism could nonetheless be held liable if they were deemed to have been associated with those responsible.