MAN LOSES HAND AT ‘YELLOW VEST’ MARCH
He was trying to bat away stun grenade that hit him during demonstration
A“YELLOW Vest” demonstrator lost his hand during clashes with police outside the main Parliament building here on Saturday, witnesses said, during a 13th weekend of anti-government protests across France.
Despite a drop in numbers from the massive turnouts of the first demonstrations in November, tens of thousands still turned out in cities across the country to protest against President Emmanuel Macron’s policies.
Clashes broke out outside the National Assembly building here after a march from the ChampsElysees avenue arrived there.
While many demonstrators marched peacefully, some masked activists tried to break down barriers outside Parliament, while others urinated nearby.
Masked men threw projectiles at police, who responded with tear gas and stun grenades.
As the march continued, vandals burnt rubbish bins as well as cars — mainly luxury models — vandalising bus shelters, cash machines and shop windows along the route.
One of the torched cars belonged during the clashes between police and protesters.
One witness who filmed the incident, 21-year-old Cyprien Royer, said the victim was a “Yellow Vest” photographer taking pictures of people trying to break down the barriers protecting the entrance to the National Assembly.
He said he was hit in the calf by a type of stun grenade as the cops attempted to disperse people.
“He wanted to bat it away so it didn’t explode by his leg — and it went off when he touched it,” he added.
Paris police said the man had lost four fingers.
Officers had arrested 39 people and 21 were being held in custody, they added on Saturday night.