Interior Minister Gerald Darmanan told CNN that about 457 people were arrested, while about 440 members of the security forces were injured.
In new confrontations with protesters against the construction of a dam in southwestern France, some demonstrators on Saturday burned two police cars and injured members of the French police.
This comes as French police arrested hundreds of people, during new protests, in France, as opposed to raising the retirement age reached new levels, as the office of French President Emmanuel Macron announced in a statement that the visit of Britain’s King Charles III to France was postponed, due to mass protests.
Protests erupted in France on Monday, where opposition to raising the retirement age reached new levels, with protests raging in Bordeaux, Nantes, and Rennes, and police in Paris using tear gas.
Prime Minister Elizabeth Bourne said violence and damage to buildings were unacceptable.
Interior Minister Gerald Darmanan told CNN that about 457 people had been arrested, while about 440 members of the security forces had been injured.
Darmanan rejected calls from protesters to abandon pension reform passed by parliament last week in controversial circumstances.
The Interior Ministry said late on Thursday that 1.09 million people had taken part in protests across the country. CGT put the figure at 3.5 million. About 12,<> police officers were deployed.
Opponents of the government’s plans also closed railway stations, roads, and part of Paris’ Charles de Gaulle International Airport.
French trade unions have called for new strikes and protests across the country on Tuesday, coinciding with the announced visit of Britain’s King Charles III.
Strikes and protests have remained mostly peaceful for several weeks, but recent days have seen violence escalate during spontaneous demonstrations.
There have been repeated protests against government plans to close the looming gap in the pension fund by implementing reforms.
On Monday evening, two motions to withdraw confidence from the government failed.
Defending the reforms, French President Emmanuel Macron said: “Between polls, immediate privileges, and the general interest of the country, I choose the general interest of the country.”
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