Protest march in Paris turned into riots

A protest march against austerity measures proposed by the French government in Paris has turned into riots.

As reported by BAKU.WS with reference to TASS, participants of the action are setting fire to garbage bins, throwing firecrackers and bottles at the police. In response, law enforcement officers are using tear gas and trying to push back the protesters.

Damage is also reported: aggressively-minded demonstrators are breaking shop and bank windows, and several bus stops have been destroyed along the route of the trade union march.

The actions are taking place against the backdrop of a nationwide strike on September 18 against cuts in social benefits. The government's initiative aims to reduce the national debt, which has already reached a record level of 3.4 trillion euros.

According to the LCI TV channel, citing the French Ministry of Interior, by 3:00 PM local time (5:00 PM Baku time), about 264,000 people participated in protests across the country, with 128 detained. Six police officers were injured in clashes with demonstrators. The riots continue, including in the city of Rennes, where more than 10,000 people took to the streets. To restore order, authorities have deployed over 80,000 police officers and gendarmes, as well as armored vehicles and drones.