Macron’s address to the nation has come to an end, which saw him discussing a crackdown on the rioters who caused hundreds of millions in damages to properties and business.

Near the end, he urged the country to ‘unite and be calm and respect each other’.

‘Long live the Republic and long live France,’ the President concluded his speech.

Macron spoke about the ‘dual responsibility’ of understanding the anger of peaceful protesters but also needing to ‘make sure law and order is respected’.

The ‘violence’ should not ‘stop the legitimate claims from being heard’, he said.

He further condemned ‘all acts of violence’ and said he will ‘hold a very firm line’ with rioters and hooligans.

‘Listening and dialogue does not mean weakness or impunity’, he said.

He highlighted the presidential election that will be taking place in six months time and urged citizens to discuss this in ‘public meetings with political parties, not on the streets through violence’.

‘This debate needs to take place on the news, in newspapers and on TV stations, in peaceful meetings where people speak to one another with respect and never in disorder and rioting.

‘Our country deserves a good presidential election. This is really important and it requires a spirit of responsibility,’ he continued.

Macron has said in his national address over the riots that he has asked public prosecturos to be as firm as possible when it comes to dealing with cases related to looting and violence.

‘They will answer to what they have done to the public,’ the French President said.

Macron emphasised that hundreds of thousands of French people demonstrated with ‘legitimate claims’ about cost of living and rising fuel and that they should ‘never’ be confused with those who have rioted.

He said that he had taken on number of initiatives on an international level to make sure France has enough fuel and gas and the government is doing all it can to help with the cost of living.

Macron spoke extensively about the young people who took part in protests who were concerned about their future and the conditions in which they study at high schools and universities.

He detailed several ways that he has been trying to hear these concerns, including the establishment of a platform by the Ministry of Education to gather suggestions from students and teachers, which has already had 100,000 contributions.

President Macron has begun addressing France after days of ‘unbridled’ violent protests, which he said saw hundreds of officers and gendarmes injured.

‘What was in their heads, how could french people do this,’ he asked in regards to the looting and widespread damage caused to several cities.

‘There is nothing that justifies this, there is nothing that explains this, there is nothing that excuses this’, he added.

He went on to say ‘we are all feeling anger and shame tonight’ and that it was ‘unbearable’ to see French streets looted.

He congratulated officers and authorities for their work maintaining the riots and offered his support for affected mayor and elected representatives.

He also offered support to shopkeepers and artisans, highlighting those who have been seen trying to defend their own shops.

Another crisis meeting is being held tomorrow, this one to help support those who have been affected by the riots, like business owners.

An investigation will be carried out with ‘as much diligence as possible’, Macron added.

Mr Macron has been holding an emergency meeting with top government officials this afternoon and his office confirmed earlier today that he will address France this evening.

We will be bringing you all the details from his speech that will be taking place any moment now here on the live blog.

Looting rampages were reported over the weekend in Paris and other cities, including Marseille, Bordeaux, Nice and Strasbourg, on the margins of protests over the cost of living.

Around 1,500 businesses were damaged with losses estimated at hundreds of millions of dollars, according to the Retail and Trade Federation. One person died during the main march in Paris, but officials said the case was health-related.

‘It’s like we had a war’, a 78-year-old Paris resident Mehmet Ozeden said amid burnt street barricades from the protests.

Another resident, Anita Gras, said she saw young men loot a sports shoe retailer.

‘It’s appalling, terrifying – groups of young people came here yesterday, looting, smashing everything, with total impunity’, said 57-year-old Cecile Rogue while surveying a pile of charred bicycles.

Marine Le Pen, the far-right presidential candidate for the National Rally party, said the troubles showed that Macron’s administration was ‘running on fumes, exhausted and disoriented’.

‘We are experiencing a profound crisis of trust and authority, which poses a threat to democracy’, said Le Pen, who leads opinion polls ahead of the election.

Le Pen has blamed ultra-left groups, while Jean-Luc Melenchon head of the far-left France Unbowed party accused authorities of inflaming tensions.

The French President has been holding an Interministerial Crisis Meeting at the Elysee Presidential Palace in Paris, the day after riots and looting on the sidelines of nationwide protests against the high cost of living rocked the nation.

In attendance are France’s Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin, France’s Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu, France’s Interior Minister Laurent Nunez, and French Government Secretary General Laurence Marion.

New looting was reported on Sunday as police battled protesters in a Paris square – one day after nationwide rallies descended into widespread chaos.

A distraught woman was seen begging rioters in Paris not to loot a supermarket.

She was heard asking ‘why are you doing this’ and screaming ‘this is not the cause’ as a group of young male rioters push past her into the smashed shop.

The footage then shows the crowd appearing to cheer as the balaclava-clad looters leave with arms full of stolen goods.

The shop was one of many buildings and businesses to be damaged in the demonstrations, as roughly 550,000 protesters took to the country’s streets.

Police have been battling protesters in a Paris square and new looting was reported Sunday, one day after nationwide rallies descended into widespread chaos and looting.

Several hundred people gathered in the Republique square in Paris following social media calls for a gathering.

Place de la Republique in Paris is a habitual gathering site for protests, and was the scene of widespread clashes and pillaging Saturday.

The Paris police prefecture said the latest demonstration had not been approved and police ‘carried out checks’ and ‘put a security arrangement in place’ to be able to ‘intervene quickly if needed’.

‘Faced with the initial signs of tension’ police moved in ‘to disperse (the crowd) and make arrests’, the prefecture added.

Some 855 arrests were made in Paris on Saturday when several buildings and stores were looted and set alight amid pitched battles between police and masked demonstrators.

Tear gas was fired a first time at the Republique square on Sunday to break up the rally, according to television images, but the protesters returned.

Bottles and rocks were said to have been thrown at security forces who responded with tear gas and stun grenades.

Police charged the crowd to try to break it up and several arrests were made.

Demonstrators put up banners around the statue at the heart of the square complaining about the cost of living. Many were dressed in black and some were masked.

Good evening, welcome to the Daily Mail’s live blog covering the unrest in France.

We will be bringing you the latest updates throughout the night, with President Macron set to speak to the nation at 7pm after another violently-charged day of protests.