Paris police said 412 people were arrested and at least 133 were injured and as protesters ripped through city streets in the capital over the weekend in what is being called the one of the “worst disturbances the capital has seen since 1968,” according toReuters news.
The protesters, upset with increasing taxes and the high cost of living, rioted Saturday in one of the city’s most popular tourist areas, according to published reports. Activists torched cars, banks and houses; smashed windows, looted stores, threw rocks at police and tagged the Arc de Triomphe with multi-colored graffiti. A website for the monument stated Sunday that it is “closed until further notice.”
Police used with tear gas and a water cannon to disperse protesters and closed down “dozens of streets and Metro stations to contain the riot,” the Associated Press reported.
On Sunday morning, city employees began cleaning up the damages, including graffiti on the Arc de Triomphe, the Associated Press reported. Nearby streets were filled with debris and burned cars. – READ MORE