New violence as Paris police break up youth protest

Paris, Apr 29: Several dozen youth protesters clashed with police today in a central Paris square after refusing orders to disperse, police said. Police made 27 arrests and kept 24 people in custody after scenes of violence that saw protesters hurling chunks of concrete at riot police and torching vehicles.

Around 100 "especially mobile and violent demonstrators" forced their way through a police barricade at the Place de la Republique, police said.

The square has been the venue for the past month of nightly gatherings dubbed "Up All Night", but on Thursday protesters were allowed to stay only until midnight.

Police said the last of the protesters were dispersed by 2:00 am (0000 GMT), some leaving makeshift barricades "to impede the progress of the security forces".

An AFP reporter on the scene said two cars and two scooters were torched. The new violence followed clashes Thursday during protests against France's hotly contested labour laws that left 24 policemen injured, three seriously.

AFP