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Scuffles, arrests in Paris as thousands mark May Day

Police source saidt far-left "black bloc" protesters had repeatedly tried to block the trade union-led march in the French capital, with 34 people detained. 

La rédaction de Mediapart

This article is freely available.

Police scuffled with protesters in Paris on Saturday, firing tear gas as thousands turned out across France for May Day workers' rights demonstrations, reports RFI.

A police source told AFP that far-left "black bloc" protesters had repeatedly tried to block the trade union-led march in the French capital, with 34 people detained.

Some protesters smashed the windows of bank branches, set fire to dustbins and threw projectiles at police, who responded with volleys of tear gas and stingball grenades. An injured policeman had to be evacuated, an AFP journalist saw. 

The CGT union said nearly 300 May day protests were planned around the country, with authorities expecting around 100,000 demonstrators to join them in total.

Read more of this report from RFI.