French riot police use tear gas to disperse Bastille Day protest in Paris
- Masked demonstrators blocked roads and set fire to bins and portable toilets in the French capital in the worst clashes since March
A few dozen men – some masked and dressed in black – briefly tried to block roads near the Arc de Triomphe by dragging metal security barriers and setting fire to bins.
The skirmishes were over quickly but they marked the worst clashes between riot police and masked demonstrators in central Paris since March. The people involved were not wearing the signature yellow vests of the anti-government gilets jaunes protests of the past eight months.
As police rushed into the streets around the Champs Elysees, shoppers and tourists were seen fleeing from the tear gas. Riot police cleared the roads and took up position on main streets and calm was restored.
Earlier on Sunday morning, before the traditional annual military parade, some 152 people – including yellow vest protesters – were arrested as they tried to stage a separate demonstration.
