Number of Detained During Yellow Vest Rallies in France Exceeds 1,700 - Reports

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The number of those detained by police during Yellow Vests protests in France on Saturday has risen to over 1,700, local media reported Sunday, citing the French Interior Ministry.

According to the BFMTV broadcaster, a total of 1,723 people were detained during the protests, with 1,220 of them taken into custody. As many as 1,082 protesters were detained in the French capital alone.

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On Saturday, French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner announced that around 125,000 people participated in the protests nationwide, while the number of those detained has reached 1,385.

France has been facing a wave of mass protests since mid-November, when the so-called yellow vest protesters — named after the obligatory attribute of French drivers — took to the streets to rally against rising fuel prices and a planned hike in tax on diesel and carbon fuels. On Tuesday, French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe announced that the fuel tax hike would be suspended for six months, which, however, failed to appease the protesters.

The yellow vest rallies have been marked by violent clashes with police officers, who have used tear gas and rubber bullets against the protesters.