French security forces arrest 211 people, fire tear gas as protests turn wild

French security forces had a tough time dealing with demonstrators as over 1,500 protesters converged on the Champs Elysees to rally over a hike in diesel tax.

Reports say 211 people have been placed under arrest after police found weapons such as hammers, baseball bats and metal petanque balls on them.

“We just had Interior Minister Christophe Castaner himself who came along to talk to the riot police. He no doubt reassured them that today they will not run out of tear gas reserves like they did last Saturday,” Al Jazeera’s David Chater said, reporting from Paris.

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“Police forces are determined to make sure that the violent scenes aren’t repeated, but I don’t think they can guarantee that, because there are so many people here… everybody is converging on this area, and they’re aiming at the Arc de Triomphe and the Champs Elysees,” Chater added.

Only yesterday, French authorities moved to close the Eifel Tower and the Louvre following the recent wave of violent protests over the increase in diesel tax.

Reports say other tourism landmarks in Paris will also be closed as authorities have ordered the drafting of about 89,000 police across the country.

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