Short answer: yes.

Is Paris Burning? is the name of a 1966 movie about France’s liberation from the Nazis. This is how it ended:

… [F]ighting breaks out in the streets and civilians join in the battle. Allied troops reach Rue de Rivoli and enter Choltitz’s office at the Hotel Meurice, asking him to have German officers accompany Free French troops throughout the city under white flags to convey the surrender order to his troops. French tanks reach Notre Dame Cathedral and reactivate the bells after years of silence. The crowd cheers and sings “La Marseillaise.” Free French forces parade down the streets of Paris led by General de Gaulle. Against a backdrop of cheering crowds, a phone receiver is shown dangling off the hook with a German voice repeatedly asking “Is Paris burning?” Aerial footage shows Paris intact, and the view switches from the black and white of 1944 to contemporary colour footage.

Contemporary in 1966, that is. France suffered widespread riots a bit later, in 1968. But they were somewhat different than today’s riots, and France was very different as well:

May 68 (French: Mai 68) was a period of widespread protests, riots, strikes, and general civil unrest in France that began in May 1968 and became one of the most significant social uprisings in modern European history. Sparked by student demonstrations against university conditions and government repression, the movement quickly escalated into a nationwide general strike involving millions of workers, bringing the country to the brink of revolution.

Note it started with students – or appeared to do so, much like today’s riots. The left took over pretty quickly, just as it’s doing now. Then again, there was no “green” back then in a red-green alliance. Most of the people involved were French rather than children of so-called “migrants” who are heavily involved today.

In 1968:

Inspired by countercultural, anti-imperialist, Marxist, and anarchist ideologies, students increasingly viewed themselves as part of a revolutionary struggle against capitalism and authoritarianism. At the same time, the French working class was dissatisfied with stagnant wages and poor working conditions, despite growth. The political order, dominated by President Charles de Gaulle’s Fifth Republic, was seen by many as outdated and repressive.

It was, after all, the 60s. As such, it was typical of the 60s, but French-style. France has a history of large leftist demonstrations/riots. You might say the original of the genre was the French Revolution.

What ultimately happened in 1968? De Gaulle made some economic concessions and the whole thing petered out. But France has been a welfare state for quite some time, and the French have gotten very very accustomed to being taken care of.

What will happen now? Darned if I know, but the consensus is that these riots will ultimately benefit Le Pen, and that the French economy is in bad enough shape that the Macron forces can’t satisfy the mob by upping the benefits:

Elections next year will see President Emmanuel Macron step down after a decade in power. The unrest is likely to boost far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen, who is already the frontrunner in polls and has long talked tough on law and order.

“Le Pen no longer needs to spend any money to campaign,” Jean-Baptiste Moreau, a former lawmaker from Macron’s camp, told Reuters. “It’s not just a clear path ahead of her, it’s a six-lane highway.”

Time will tell.