A MARCH by French health workers calling for better pay and working conditions because of the Coronavirus crisis descended into street violence in Paris today.
Riot police used teargas and baton charges as they fought with protesters using smoke bombs by Les Invalides in the centre of the city on Tuesday afternoon.
By 4PM there had been 16 arrests, and "disturbances were ongoing," said a spokesman for the Paris police prefecture.
Thousands of people, including doctors and nurses had taken to the streets to rally for a better deal from the government – however, scenes soon turned violent.
"It appears that the main march was infiltrated by radicals who wanted to take on the police," said one of the protesters.
"They began throwing missiles at officers, who responded in a manner that was very heavy-handed."
A car was turned over at one point, with demonstrators hiding behind it as they goaded the police.
VIOLENT MARCH
Hundreds of youths then made their way on to the large grass field in front of Les Invalides, where some of the worst fighting took place.
There, police snatch squads could be seen rushing into the crowd to make arrests, as teargas swirled everywhere. Fires were also started in waste bins.
France has been plagued by street violence since the gradual removal of coronavirus lockdown conditions started last month.
There has been widespread disorder at Black Lives Matter demonstrations, as well as night time disturbances involving Chechen gangs in the eastern city of Lyon.
Interior Minister Christophe Castaner has appealed for calm, saying that "all measures" would be taken to restore order.
French health workers have treated some 73,000 people since the start of the coronavirus pandemic in March, and for a long period people all over France held a daily 8PM clap to thank them for their efforts.
Now, though, they are complaining that President Emmanuel Macron’s government is not doing enough to reward them for their efforts.
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