France protesters tear-gassed, clash with cops as over 4 lakh join anti-govt stir

Over four lakh people took to the streets across France on Saturday to protest against rising living costs, economic inequality and deteriorating public services, as police fired tear gas and used water cannon to disperse demonstrators in several cities.

The demonstrations unfolded despite a massive security deployment aimed at preventing a repeat of last weekend's violence. The French Interior Ministry put the nationwide turnout at around 4.1 lakh, while trade unions estimated that nearly 8 lakh people had participated, news agencies Reuters and AFP



reported.

In Paris, where police estimated that 1.1 lakh people joined the march, clashes broke out towards the end of an otherwise largely peaceful demonstration. Police used batons and tear gas to push back groups of protesters, while water cannon was also deployed, AFP reported.

Clashes were also reported in Lyon, Marseille, Bordeaux, Lille, Nantes and other cities. Police fired tear gas at several locations as tensions escalated. In Marseille, protesters blocked a street with metal sheets, set rubbish bins on fire and threw stones and bottles at riot police, Reuters reported.