Scores of hooded protesters launched projectiles at riot police, smashed up shop fronts, torched cars and burned barricades during a demonstration in the French capital on Saturday against police violence and a draft security law.
RALLIES TOOK PLACE IN MARSEILLE, LYON AND LILLE
The police fired back volleys of tear gas and made repeated charges at groups of troublemakers for close to three hours. One group of protesters ransacked the branch office of a bank, throwing piles of paperwork onto a fire outside.
It marked the second consecutive of weekend of unrest in Paris, provoked by recent episodes of police brutality and President Emmanuel Macron’s security plans, which the demonstrators say would restrict civil liberties.
Thousands of people had began marching peacefully in Paris, waving banners that read “France, land of police rights” and “Withdrawal of the security law”, when the clashes erupted between police and ‘Black Bloc’ anarchists.
Paris police said that some 500 “casseurs” – which translates as hoodlums or rioters – had infiltrated the protest, according to BFM TV. Thirty arrests had been made by 1700 GMT, the force added.
