Clashes between police and protesters in Paris.. 290 arrested - Sarmad

Clashes erupted between police and protesters in Paris on Saturday as the protest movement reached its final destination, with tear gas filling the streets and tensions escalating in several cities, including Marseille and Toulouse.

Dozens of masked individuals dressed in black used hammers to pry up paving stones and hurl them at police, while at least one Molotov cocktail was thrown at security forces.

Police responded by deploying tear gas and carrying out several baton charges to disperse the demonstrators.

Paris police stated that a group of several hundred rioters was attacking officers with projectiles, including Molotov cocktails.

They added that police moved in to restore public order.

Authorities noted that the dispersal of the demonstration proceeded without significant difficulty, and a water cannon truck was positioned near the planned end point of the march.

For its part, the French Ministry of the Interior announced that police arrested more than 290 people during the protests.

The ministry said the marches proceeded smoothly within the framework of declared demonstrations, noting that extremist elements in several cities, including Bordeaux, Toulouse, and Marseille, attempted to reach city centers to carry out vandalism and looting.

The French Ministry of the Interior reported that approximately 320,000 people participated in marches across the country on Saturday, including 70,000 in the capital. Meanwhile, trade unions stated that around 500,000 people took part in demonstrations throughout France, including 200,000 in Paris.