French Min. Condemns Protests, Calls it "Acts of Vandalism"

Today, French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanan, following a demonstration in Paris marred by acts of vandalism, said that "the protesters are ruining the republic."

In a tweet, Darman underpinned his back up for security, saying  "We call for support for our police and our gendarmerie who were targeted again," in a statement likely to provoke the demonstrators and fuel violence.

Violence erupted in Paris, which saw clashes between police and protesters opposing the proposal for a security law, during which cars were set on fire and storefronts were smashed.

The weekly protests taking place across France have turned into a source of disturbance for President Emmanuel Macron's government, as the level of tension rose with the revelation that police officers beat a black music producer last month.

Members of the "Yellow Vests" movement, which organized demonstrations against inequality in France in the winter of 2018-2019, are playing a prominent role in the current protests.

[caption id="attachment_183061" align="aligncenter" width="962"] Protesters setting fires in their objects[/caption]

The fronts of a shopping store, a real estate agency and a bank were smashed, while several cars were burnt on Gambetta Street as protesters marched towards Place de la Republique in central Paris, according to AFP reporters.

Police officers, pelted by separate objects, responded by firing tear gas, in a repeat of the scenes of violence that prevailed during last weekend's protests against the security law proposal that restricts the publication of pictures showing the faces of police officers.

[caption id="attachment_183062" align="aligncenter" width="962"] Tear gas used to force protesters to fall back[/caption]

Some protesters set up temporary checkpoints using objects left in the street before setting them on fire.

The demonstrators, some of whom fired smoke bombs and crackers, chanted: "Everyone hates the police."

[caption id="attachment_183063" align="aligncenter" width="962"] Hand written banners raised by one of the protesters[/caption]

The moves in Paris were one of nearly 100 demonstrations planned across France on Saturday against the proposed new security law.

Police were deployed strongly to prevent turmoils after violent clashes that erupted during protests in Paris a week ago and left dozens injured.

[caption id="attachment_183065" align="aligncenter" width="962"] French police trying to calm down the situation[/caption]

French media freedom and human rights organizations led protests for weeks to urge the government to cancel or review a law that would restrict police filming, saying it would make it difficult to prosecute abuse cases.

After four French police officers were charged on November 30 with beating and abusing the black music producer Michel Zeclair, Macron MPs pledged to "completely rewrite" part of the law.

The leader of the "General Confederation of Labor", one of the major French unions, Philippe Martinez, said that several reasons converge simultaneously.

The new clashes came after Macron gave an interview on Friday to "Prote", a video news portal targeting young people, which was seen as an attempt by the president to gain credibility among young people who are particularly concerned about the actions of the French police.