Officials in France said several police officers have been injured and at least 291 people held after protests during May Day against government pension reforms.
Major May Day demonstrations across parts of France on Monday, May, 1 resulted on over 108 police officers being injured and about 291 people being arrested.
This announcement was made the French interior minister, Gérald Darmanin, who said that “violence erupted in several cities on the sidelines of the main union-led marches”.
As per the Guardian, police fired tear gas and clashed with groups of men dressed in black during protests in parts of Paris, as petrol bombs, rubbish buns and projecties were thrown at them by the demonstrators.
In a tweet, Darmanin also stated that “the great majority of demonstrators were of course peaceful, in Paris, Lyon and Nantes, police had faced extremely violent rioters who had one objective: kill a police officer and steal property”.
He further added that “the violence should be condemned”.
Demonstrators in parts of France also smashed bus stops and shop fronts, spraying anti-police slogans.
Reports from Lyon state that protestors also set several cars on fire, while windows of several businesses were also smashed.
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