Thousands of protesters gathered in Paris for a march that started peacefully but turned violent when police instructed them to disperse.
What happened
Some protesters, dressed in black and wearing masks, used hammers to pry up paving stones and threw them at police, while others launched Molotov cocktails, injuring several officers. Video showed police scrambling to put out fires after a Molotov cocktail exploded. Protesters also set vehicles on fire in the streets of Paris.
In Lyon, protesters burned American and Israeli flags and hurled projectiles at police. France's Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez had warned protesters ahead of the demonstrations, prompting cities to impose curfews and keep protesters away from city centers. Security forces used water cannons to control rioters in Toulouse.
Nuñez announced that an officer who was set on fire by a Molotov cocktail had suffered minor injuries and was expected to recover. He also warned that masks would not be permitted for those hitting the streets after dark.
