Protests Turn Violent Across France As Police Clash With Demonstrators

Protests across France have descended into violence, with police deploying tear gas in Paris as demonstrators took to the streets over mounting economic and political concerns.

Clashes erupted in the capital on Saturday as officers confronted hooded and masked protesters near Place de la République. Riot police were deployed across the square and surrounding streets, with dozens of people reportedly detained.

Al Jazeera correspondent Natacha Butler reported that police used tear gas and stun grenades as officers moved to contain demonstrators. She said the protest, which began peacefully, was quickly disrupted when police lines confined groups of protesters.

Violence was also reported in other French cities. Local media said demonstrators breached Marseille’s town hall and looted shops in the city’s commercial district, while reports from Lyon indicated that the local tourism office had been set on fire.

The demonstrations brought together students, teachers, trade unions and members of the Yellow Vest movement, which emerged during the 2018 cost-of-living protests.

Reporting from Rennes, Al Jazeera correspondent Rosie Birchard described the demonstrations as taking place at a critical time for France, as the government navigates budget negotiations and seeks to rein in rising national debt ahead of next year’s presidential election.