Clashes erupted between police and demonstrators as yellow-vest protesters came out on streets over fuel tax hikes in the French capital Saturday – vandalizing luxury stores and restaurants.
Demonstrators have looted shops and set a bank on fire in Paris in a resurgence of the Mouvement des gilets jaunes (“yellow vest movement”) protests that grasped identity since last November in France.
Police say about 10,000 people took part in Saturday’s protest in the French capital, depicting an increase compared with similar demonstrations in recent weeks.
Some 32,300 in total took to the streets throughout France, according to the Interior Ministry.
However, sources said 36,000 people summed up to a separate march against climate change in another parts of Paris.
Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said that more than 1,400 police officers had been mobilized to monitor and control the move, while preventing further damages and possible causalities.
Writing on Twitter, he said: “Let there be no doubt: they are looking for violence and are there to sow chaos in Paris,” BBC quoted.
Police used water cannon and tear gas to disperse the protesters. More than 120 people were arrested, BBC wrote.
The yellow vests movement (also yellow jackets movement) is a populist, grassroots political movement for economic justice, which began in France in November 2018. After an online petition posted in May had attracted nearly a million signatures, mass demonstrations began on 17 November.
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