Clashes mark return of yellow vest protests amid virus flare-up in France

PARIS－French police fired tear gas and arrested more than 250 people in Paris on Saturday as they tussled with yellow vest protesters seeking to revive an anti-government movement curbed by a coronavirus lockdown this year.

The yellow vests activists, named after motorists' high-visibility jackets, emerged in late 2018 in protest against fuel taxes and the cost of living, posing a major challenge to President Emmanuel Macron as demonstrations spread across France.

By midday on Saturday, hundreds of demonstrators had gathered at the starting points of two authorized marches in Paris.

While one cortege proceeded without incident, the other march was aborted as police clashed with groups who left the designated route and set fire to waste bins and a car.

Some protesters wore black clothes and carried the flag of an anti-fascist movement, suggesting the presence of radical demonstrators dubbed "black blocks", who are often blamed for violence at street marches in France.

Police repeatedly used tear gas to counter small groups of roaming protesters, before they dispersed toward the end of the afternoon.

Police had made 256 arrests by 6 pm, with many for carrying items such as tools that could be used as weapons. Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said he supported authorities "who are stopping the violent troublemakers".

On Feb 29, the government decided to ban all public gatherings with more than 5,000 people due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The ban has been extended to Oct 30.

A heavy police presence notably worked to prevent protesters reaching the Champs-Elysees. The famous shopping avenue was the scene of rioting at the height of the yellow vest movement, and many shops there were boarded up on Saturday.

Resurgence in cases

The return of the protest movement comes as France grapples with a resurgence in coronavirus cases.

The country registered 10,561 in 24 hours on the weekend, a new daily record, as the number topped 10,000 for the first time. The previous record of a little less than 10,000 had been set on Thursday.

The rise led the government to outline additional measures on Friday to avert a return to the general lockdown put in place earlier in the year. Prime Minister Jean Castex promised steps to speed up test and toughen local measures in high-infection zones.

By the weekend France had recorded more than 400,000 confirmed cases.

Police called on Saturday's demonstrators to respect coronavirus measures in Paris, which is among France's high-risk areas and where it is compulsory to wear a face mask in the street.

Other protests are also planned in Marseille, Toulouse, Lyon, Lille, Nantes, Nice, Bordeaux and Strasbourg.

Agencies Via Xinhua