Europe News

France says clash with gas tax protesters is under control, calls violence 'unacceptable'

Key Points
  • Thousands of police drafted into Paris for weekend.
  • Eiffel Tower closed as precaution, shops boarded up.
  • Government, in climbdown, has abandoned fuel tax protesters want more concessions
Protestors wearing 'yellow vests' (gilet jaune) kneel on the Champs Elysees avenue in Paris on December 8, 2018 during a protest against rising costs of living they blame on high taxes. 
BERTRAND GUAY | AFP | Getty Images

France's interior minister says the protest violence in Paris is "under control" despite scattered tensions but is calling it "totally unacceptable."

Interior Minister Christophe Castaner says 135 people were injured in the protests Saturday, including 17 police officers. He says "exceptional" security measures allowed nearly police to put nearly 1,000 people in custody.

Casataner estimated there were 10,000 yellow vest protesters in Paris on Saturday, among some 125,000 protesters around the country.

Protesters smashed store windows and set fires around Paris and clashed with police, who fired tear gas throughout the day in the French capital.