France 24: Protesters angry about rising taxes clashed with French police for a third straight weekend and scores were arrested after pockets of demonstrators built barricades in central Paris, lit fires and threw rocks at officers Saturday.
According to figures released by French interior ministry, around 75,000 demonstrators took to the streets today in the anti-Macron protests.
Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said earlier on Saturday that “1,500 troublemakers” were around the Champs-Elysées avenue, outside a perimeter secured by police, who said that 140 people were arrested.
Protesters, including some wearing black hoodies, piled up large plywood planks and other material in the middle of a street near the Arc de Triomphe, and set the debris on fire.
Six policemen and 14 protesters have been injured, according to Paris police.
Iconic department stores evacuated
Paris’s Galeries Lafayette and Printemps department stores have been evacuated because of violence linked to the protesters, while firemen were called to put out a fire at a building near the Champs-Elysées, according to a Reuters witness.
Police fired tear gas to try to push back the protesters around the monument, and used water cannons near Champs-Elysées avenue. Some demonstrators responded by throwing large rocks. Thousands of police were deployed to try to contain the protests.
The situation in Paris contrasted Saturday with protests in other French regions, where demonstrations and road blockades were largely peaceful.
In addition to rising taxes, demonstrators are furious about President Emmanuel Macron’s leadership. A demonstration last weekend in Paris also turned violent.
Access to the Champs-Elysées avenue was closed to cars and strictly monitored by police with identity checks and bag inspections. Earlier Saturday, police used tear gas to disperse the crowds as some tried to force their way through.
The protests, which began with motorists demonstrating against a fuel tax hike, now involve a broad range of demands related to the country’s high cost of living.
Shopkeepers on the Champs-Elysées prepared for possible new violence, bringing in workers to barricade boutique windows with boards. Decorative iron grates, used last week in barricades, were removed from around trees and outdoor terraces dismantled.
All subway stations in and around the famous avenue were closed for security reasons, Paris public transport company RATP said.
Last week, French authorities said 8,000 people demonstrated on the Champs-Elysées avenue. Some of the protesters torched barriers and plywood boards. Police fired tear gas and water cannons to push back angry demonstrators.
Since the protests kicked off Nov. 17, two people were killed and hundreds injured in accidents stemming from the protests since they kicked off Nov. 17, and hundreds of protesters and police have been injured.
Meanwhile, hundreds of roads blockades were also held quietly across the country.
Failed attempt to placate protesters
French President Emmanuel Macron has sought to douse the anger by promising three months of nationwide talks on how best to transform France into a low-carbon economy without penalising the poor.
He also vowed to slow the rate of increase in fuel taxes if international oil prices rise too rapidly but only after a tax hike due in January.
On Friday, the government tried — mostly in vain — to talk to representatives of the “Yellow Vest” movement.
Philippe invited eight representatives to join him in his office. But only two turned up, and one walked out after being told he could not invite TV cameras in to broadcast the encounter.
Emerging from an hour of talks, Philippe said they mainly discussed spending power and that his door was “always open” for further dialogue.
One of the chief difficulties faced by the government in talking to protesters is their reluctance to appoint leaders.
The movement, organised through social media, has steadfastly refused to align with any political party or trade union.
