In France, there were again protests of the so-called yellow vests, it came in Nantes to violent clashes between protesters and the police. About 1,800 people participated in the protest march in the western French city, according to the police. During the clashes in the afternoon, several people were injured. The police reported 35 arrests.
Nantes had been selected by the "yellow vests" as the main site of the protests on Saturday, the organizers had called for a "national gathering". This call was followed by significantly fewer people than at the height of the protests: Three months ago, hundreds of thousands of French had demonstrated.
Sebastien Salom-Gomis / AFP
Protesters protect themselves from the water cannons of the police
In the protest procession in Nantes noticeably few participants wore the yellow warning vests, which gave the movement its name. Out of the train, stones were suddenly thrown in the afternoon, stores were destroyed, garbage pails set on fire. The police, who were on the ground with a large contingent, used tear gas in their turn. An AFP correspondent saw two injured demonstrators, the police reported five injured officials.
Also in other French cities was demonstrated on Saturday, so in the capital Paris, where several hundred people came together. The protests were directed, among other things, against the pension reform plans of the government. That's why employees of Parisian public transport had already staged a strike on Friday. The government wants the controversial pension reform sealed by Parliament until next summer.
