A French Jewish leader urged French President Emmanuel Macron to declare a state of emergency in the face of ongoing riots that have spiraled out of control since last month and that show no signs of abating.

Bruno Benjamin, the president of the Marseille-Provence branch of the umbrella group of French Jewish institutions known as CRIF (Representative Council of French Jewish Institutions), told an Israel-based outlet, “I believe we need to declare a state of emergency in France, send in the army, massively increase law enforcement personnel, and arrest these rioters and vandals by every means.”

Congregants of a Paris synagogue discovered Sunday morning that the synagogue had been vandalized, with books and religious items strewn across the floor, while the Torah scrolls remained untouched and nothing appeared to be stolen. It’s unclear if the vandalism is related to the riots or is a separate incident.

The protests exploded against a backdrop of violence that has erupted across France, with no signs of abating over the course of a month, as the historic town hall in Limoges was burned down Saturday.

The protests, which began in mid-September over education, swept across the country in cities such as Marseille, Nantes, Toulouse, Strasbourg, Lyon, Rennes, and Paris, with protesters holding signs that said “The state has killed national education.”

At times, the protests turned violent, as protesters lit fires in the streets and police used tear gas, batons, and non-lethal grenades to disperse the crowds, leading to more than 6,000 arrests, as well as injuries among more than 700 police officers.

Scenes of chaos shared on social media prompted snarky or angry comments from social media users.

“The cycle of violence in France must stop. Israel is calling on BOTH sides to show restraint, and engage in negotiations for a two-state solution,” one user snarked.

“We will all soon know what it feels like to be Jewish. In France, they already do. It will be our just deserts for having abandoned the Jews, ignored their warnings, turned against them, and even marched alongside their oppressors,” another user remonstrated.