Thick fog-like tear gas can be seen in shocking pictures during clashes between police and protesters in another consecutive week of anti-Macron demonstrations. It remains unknown just how many demonstrators have been detained, according to witnesses who took to Twitter to share their shock. One said: “Police seen charging “yellow jacket” protesters amid heavy tear gas in front of Gare de Lyon train station in Paris, France.”
Another said: “ Huge anti-government protests in the streets of Iran…or is it Russia?
“Nope. It’s Paris, #France, today. So of course mainstream media is nowhere to be found. #YellowVests #GiletsJaunes #Greve18janvier.”
Another added: “Thousands of #GiletsJaunes again take to the streets in the 62nd consecutive week of the protests against Macron’s Neoliberal policies which have brought so much poverty & human misery to France.
“Vive la France!”
Another Twitter user posted a picture of the mayhem.
In another image, an army of protesters are seen marking toward a camera with fire burning beside them.
A video shows police taking down a protester and restraining them.
It is the 62nd weekend of protests that began in November 2018 over French President Emmanuel Macron’s crippling austerity reforms.
It comes after President Macron remains under increased pressure after violence continues to break out on the streets of Paris over his Government’s planned pension reforms, with police forced to fire tear gas at protesters as the clashes turned ugly.
Protesters joined a rally of several thousand people on Saturday against the pensions overhaul from President Macron that has disrupted schools, railways and roads since the start of this month.
Police were forced to use tear close to tourists hotspots like the Centre Pompidou museum of modern art, where some demonstrators tried to erect barricades and set fire to them, while also destroying a bus stop.
Protesters also gathered on the Place de la Bourse and the Gare du Nord train station in Paris, furiously waving placards with Mr Macron’s face on them.
This is a breaking news story.
More to follow…