The French government is considering “all options” to control protests against rising fuel prices that have turned violent in Paris over the last three weeks, a spokesman said Sunday.
By Sandrine Amiel and Saskya Vandoorne, CNN
(CNN) — The French government is considering “all options” to control protests against rising fuel prices that have turned violent in Paris over the last three weeks, a spokesman said Sunday.
Speaking on France’s Europe 1 radio, spokesman Benjamin Griveaux said the government is thinking about steps to prevent “serious outbursts of violence,” including introducing a state of emergency.
More than 400 people were arrested and 113 injured in Paris on Saturday in clashes between police and protesters with the “gilets jaune” or “yellow vest” movement, who are protesting rising gas prices and taxes on polluting forms of transport.
An estimated 36,000 people demonstrated in Saturday’s protests across the country Saturday, marking the third consecutive week of such demonstrations, according to the French Interior Ministry. About 53,000 participated last week and about 113,000 the week before.
Griveaux said that between 1,000 and 1,500 people joined Saturday’s demonstrations “only to fight with the police, to break and loot.
