Mass protests against mandatory coronavirus vaccinations and health passes in France have escalated into clashes with police.
Water cannons and tear gas were used to disperse the demonstrators.
More than 160,000 people took part in the protests, according to the French Interior Ministry.
Demonstrations took place in all regions of the country, with a total of 168 demonstrations taking place. The largest protests have traditionally been in the capital and large cities – Marseille, Strasbourg, Lille, Lyon.
In Paris, a total of about 11,000 people took part in the protests organized by the Yellow Vests and opposition politicians, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
The protesters shouted “Macron, they don’t want your passes here!”, threw improvised means and firecrackers at the police, and built barricades.
The police responded with batons, water cannons and tear gas. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, 9 people were detained.
The head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Gerald Darmanin, strongly condemned the use of violence against the police by protesters.
What restrictions are the French against?
Protesters are calling on the authorities not to pass a law on compulsory vaccination of doctors and workers in a number of other areas, the draft of which is currently being considered by the upper house of parliament.
The document also provides for the introduction of sanitary passes for visiting restaurants, cafes and shopping centers.
The authorities decided to adopt this law against the backdrop of a worsening situation with coronavirus due to the Indian “delta” strain.
