More than 200 people were arrested in Paris on Saturday in the ninth weekend of so-called "yellow vests" protests, which have been rocking the country since November.
Protesters called for French President Emmanuel Macron’s resignation and pelted police officers with bottles, improvised projectiles and flares, while officers responded with tear gas and water cannons.
The detainees were busted for "participating in a group for the purpose to commit violence", carrying prohibited weapons and violence toward law enforcement officers.
A group of some 200 protesters also reportedly staged a protest near Macron’s villa in Calais. According to AFP, the rally was relatively calm despite some protesters throwing projectiles at the police, with two protesters being subsequently arrested.
Authorities mobilised a total of 80,000 police officers to counter protests across the country, with 5,000 being deployed in Paris alone.
Earlier in the day, the BFMTV broadcaster reported that some 84,000 people took to the streets in nationwide anti-government protests.
An estimated 5,000 people demonstrated in Bourges in the country's centre, according to local police, while between 800 and 1,000 took to the streets in the southern city of Nimes to protest high living costs.
The ‘yellow vests’ protests, aptly named after the reflective jacket all drivers in France are required to carry in their vehicles, began in mid-November, sparked by concerns over an impending gas and diesel tax hike.
While Paris has since scrapped the proposed tax increase, the protests have evolved into a broader movement against government policies and rising living costs.