Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators marched in France on Saturday, with largely peaceful rallies giving way to clashes in Paris and Marseille as night fell despite a huge security operation aimed at preventing a repeat of last week's unrest, Reuters reports.
The Interior Ministry said 410,000 people took part in protests nationwide, though unions said the true figure was twice as high.
The main demonstration took place in Paris, where around 110,000 people marched on the southeastern fringes of the capital, denouncing rising living costs and growing inequality.
The atmosphere deteriorated sharply after the rally ended. Riot police fired tear gas and water cannon to disperse a group of around 500 hooded youths who hurled stones at officers, a security official said.
In France's second city, Marseille, youths dragged large metal sheets to block a street, set fire to rubbish bins, and hurled rocks and bottles at riot police.
The confrontations continued after sunset and police said two jewellery shops were raided.
Clashes also flared in Lyon, Bordeaux and Grenoble, while police fired volleys of tear gas at demonstrators in Clermont-Ferrand, Lille, Nantes and Nice.
However, the violence was still less intense than a week ago, when looters and vandals went on the rampage in a number of French cities.
