Macron demands security evaluation after Paris riots

Paris police said 133 people were injured, including 23 police officers, as crowds trashed the streets of the capital.

Emmanuel Macron has asked for an evaluation of security measures after a Paris demonstration against increased taxes and living costs turned into France’s worst urban riot in a decade.

Hours after he flew back to the French capital from the G20 summit in Argentina, the president held an emergency meeting at the Elysee palace while crews worked to remove burned-out cars, broken glass and graffiti from the Champs-Elysees and other sites.

Officers fired tear gas and used water cannon to tackle the violence as protesters torched cars, smashed windows, looted stores and tagged the Arc de Triomphe with spray paint.

Paris police prefect Michel Delpuech said some officers described encountering “unprecedented” violence, including protesters using hammers, gardening tools, bolts, aerosol cans and rocks.

Some radical far-right and far-left activists were involved in the riot, as well as a “great number” of protesters wearing yellow jackets, Mr Delpuech said. The fluorescent jackets, which French motorists are required to have in their cars for emergencies, are an emblem of a grassroots citizens’ movement protesting against fuel taxes.

Emmanuel Macron shakes hands with a firefighter the day after a demonstration in Paris — Mr Macron shakes hands with a firefighter (Thibault Camus/AP)

Paris prosecutor Remy Heitz said 378 people remained in police custody as of Sunday evening, 33 of them minors.

Earlier on Sunday, Mr Macron visited the Arc de Triomphe, which had damaged statues as well as graffiti. One slogan on the famed war memorial read: “Yellow jackets will triumph.”

He then headed to a nearby avenue where activists battled police on Saturday to meet firefighters, police officers and restaurant owners.

A hooded demonstrator throws an item as a car burns during a demonstration in Paris — A demonstrator throws an item as a car burns in Paris (Thibault Camus/AP)

Mr Macron also asked Prime Minister Edouard Philippe to meet the heads of France’s major political parties and representatives from the grassroots movement behind the protests.

Plans for an earlier meeting between the prime minister and representatives of the movement collapsed last week after a request to broadcast the talks live was rejected.

Demonstrators stand by the words 'The yellow jackets will triumph' written in big black letters at the base of the Arc de Triomphe — Demonstrators stand by the words ‘The yellow jackets will triumph’ written in big black letters at the base of the Arc de Triomphe (Kamil Zihnioglu/AP)

The grassroots protests began on November 17 with motorists upset over a fuel tax hike, but have grown to encompass a range of demands and complaints that Mr Macron’s government does not care about the problems of ordinary people.

The scene in Paris contrasted sharply with protests elsewhere in France that were mostly peaceful.

“It’s difficult to reach the end of the month. People work and pay a lot of taxes and we are fed up,” said Rabah Mendez, a protester who marched peacefully on Saturday in Paris.

A woman takes a photo of charred cars the day after a demonstration near the Arc de Triomphe in Paris — A woman takes a photo of charred cars near the Arc de Triomphe (Thibault Camus/AP)

“(Violence) has nothing to do with the peaceful expression of a legitimate anger” and “no cause justifies” attacks on police or pillaging stores and burning buildings, Mr Macron said.