Parisian protesters damage landmark
GRAFFITI LEFT ON MONUMENT
PRESIDENT Emmanuel Macron has visited the graffiti-damaged Arc de Triomphe monument and held an emergency meeting on security, a day after central Paris was hit by France’s worst riot in a generation.
Mr Macron, who met with his prime minister and interior and environment ministers, has vowed that those responsible for the violence and the damages will pay for their actions.
His tour of France’s beloved monument came just hours after he flew back from the G20 summit in Argentina.
Mr Macron paid tribute to the Unknown Soldier from the First World War whose tomb is under the monument.
He then headed to a nearby avenue where activists wearing yellow jackets had torched cars, smashed windows, looted shops and battled police on Saturday.
There, he met with firefighters, police and restaurant owners.
Paris police said 133 people had been injured and 412 had been arrested as protesters trashed the streets of the capital during a demonstration against rising taxes and the high cost of living.
Activists wearing yellow jackets had thrown rocks at police and tagged the Arc de Triomphe with multi-coloured graffiti.
French police responded with tear gas and a water cannon, while closing down dozens of streets and Metro stations.