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French Police Detain 10 Yellow Vests Over Attempt to Block Tax Agency - Reports

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Police detained 10 supporters of the 'yellow vest' protest movement in northern France for an attempt to block the tax agency in the French commune of Montargis, the BFMTV broadcaster reported Thursday.
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According to the broadcaster, the incident occurred on Thursday night. Police caught the intruders by surprise. The detainees call themselves supporters of the 'yellow vest' movement. There have already been such attempts to block tax agencies at the beginning of the week in the departments of Aisne and Charente.

READ MORE: French PM Ready to Meet With Delegation of 'Yellow Vest' Fuel Tax Protesters

Large-scale demonstrations over the rise in fuel prices started in France on November 17. According to the French Interior Ministry, more than 287,000 people attended protests last Saturday. In Paris, demonstrations were accompanied by clashes with police on the Champs Elysees. The next protest is scheduled for December 1.

Around 23,000 Taking Part in 'Yellow Vest' Protests Across France - Official
On Tuesday, French President Emmanuel Macron stated that the authorities understood the concerns of people, but would not change the course. The French leader also announced plans to increase renewable energy costs and reduce the share of nuclear energy to 50 percent by 2035.

French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe also confirmed that prices for gasoline in France were projected to increase from January, leading to a general increase in fuel prices. He noted, however, that a special tax system, which will also be adopted from the beginning of 2019, would prevent gasoline prices from spiralling out of control.

READ MORE: 7 Policemen Injured in Clash With 'Yellow Vest' Protesters in France — Reports

From January 1, prices for gasoline in France are projected to increase by 2.9 euro cents per litre, the price of diesel fuel by 6.5 euro cents per litre. The price of diesel fuel has already surged about 23 percent, while gasoline prices have increased by 15 percent so far this year.

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