French police controls May Day protest by arresting hundreds in Paris

Paris, May 2: France will increase police numbers for the next round of protests over economic reforms after violent clashes marred the annual May Day rally in Paris, interior minister Gerard Collomb said Today.

Police said 109 people had been held in custody after Tuesday’s clashes, when masked and hooded anarchists hijacked the traditional May 1 rally held by labor unions, smashing shop windows and torching cars in parts of Paris.

Collomb in his tweet said, “I strongly condemn the violence and degradation committed on the sidelines of the Paris trade show #1erMai.

Everything is being done to stop these serious disturbances from public order and to apprehend the perpetrators of these unspeakable acts.”

In the tweet, President Emmanuel Macron said,” I condemn with absolute firmness the violence which took place today and which rogue the procession of 1 May. Everything will be done to ensure that their perpetrators are identified and held accountable for their actions.”

Further demonstrations are planned later this week, in protest against economic reform plans by French President Emmanuel Macron.

“There will be an even greater number of security forces ... who will aim to separate those who wish to demonstrate from those who wish to vandalize,” Collomb told.

Collomb defended how the police had handled the demonstration on Tuesday, although opposition politicians criticized the government for not having done enough to prevent the violence.

Authorities said around 1,200 protesters, many dressed in black, had turned up on the sidelines of the annual May Day demonstration. The protesters were from far-left anarchist groups known as Black Blocs, police said.

Macron, speaking during an official trip to Australia, condemned the violence.