Paris [France], September 11: Nearly 200 people have so far been arrested during anti-austerity protests in France, Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau said on Wednesday.
He reported attacks on police officers, acts of sabotage targeting power cables, and a burnt-out bus. Around 50 police operations have been carried out to clear blockades, he added in a statement.
The Paris police stated that 132 people had been arrested in the greater Paris area. Protests were reported in numerous cities, including Bordeaux, Lyon and Marseille. Videos showed violent clashes, and media reports described several road blockades, blockades at secondary schools and bus and tram depots.
Interior Minister Retailleau said that the movement was not a citizens' initiative but had been taken over by far-left extremists.
Among those who called the protests are unions, including the rail workers' labour group.
The protests, held under the slogan "Block everything," are primarily directed against budget cuts but follow the fall of the French government this week after a vote of no
confidence.
Source: Qatar Tribune
