French police arrests 107 people as protests over diesel tax hike turns violent

French police have reportedly arrested no less than 107 protesters on the Champs Elysees avenue in Paris who were demonstrating over the increase in diesel tax.

Reports say police fired tear gas, stun grenades and water cannon to disperse “yellow-vest” protesters trying to breach security cordons in the capital.

At least 107 people were arrested during clashes by mid day, said Prime Minister Edouard Philippe.

Al Jazeera’s David Chater, reporting from the French capital, said police used hundreds of tear gas canisters to control the crowd.

Read also: RISING FUEL TAX: French security forces fire tear gas, water cannons to disperse angry protesters

“What the police are trying to do is search the protesters as they come into the Champs Elysee to remove any projectiles. At the moment, inside the avenue, it is very non-violent, very peaceful. We’ve heard from them one cry – Macron must resign,” he said from the protest scene.

“But outside, there are many people who are trying to break through the police lines and that’s where the clashes are.”

The protests which had been on for weeks had forced French President Emmanuel Macron to immediately review a hike in fuel taxes and other economic policies which have sparked wild protests thought the country.

Macron who acknowledges widespread anger over fuel prices, however says he won’t ‘change course’ as he has proposed reviewing the tax rate on diesel and petrol every three months to take into account shifts in global prices.

The French leader said the fuel taxes would be adjusted to take into account sharp rises in world oil prices, but vowed not to back down on measures to protect the environment.

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