France: 135 injured in Yellow Vest protests
French Interior Minister says around 125,000 people participated in nationwide protests
Some 118 protesters and 17 police officers were injured in Saturday’s Yellow Vest protests across France, Interior Minister Christophe Castaner told reporters late Saturday.
On Sunday afternoon, the Interior Ministry updated the number of protesters who took part in the nationwide protests to 136,000.
According to the ministry, 1,220 people were arrested during the demonstrations.
As part of tight security measures, dozens of armored vehicles and 89,000 troops – including 8,000 in Paris alone – were on duty.
On Saturday, protesters wearing bright yellow vests – dubbed the Yellow Vests – gathered along the famous Champs-Elysees in the capital Paris, where stores, restaurants, and banks were shut down due to violence.
French police used pepper spray against protesters along the Champs-Elysees.
Since Nov. 17 thousands of protesters have been gathering in major French cities including Paris to protest President Emmanuel Macron's controversial fuel tax hikes and the deteriorating economic situation.
The demonstrators, who generally live in rural areas due to high rents in the cities, have called on Macron to cut fuel taxes and ease their economic difficulties.
According to a recent survey, 84 percent of the French people -- mostly from the middle-income group -- support the protests.
Fuel prices in France have risen more than 20 percent this year.
