Some 10 ‘Yellow Vests' Protesters Detained in Northern France – Reports

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Some 10 "yellow vest" protesters were detained on Saturday in the northern French department of Somme, the France Blue radio broadcaster reported.

Some of the detained people had iron rods, which could be used as weapons, the broadcaster reported, citing the prosecutor’s office of the city of Amiens.

The head of the department has earlier banned demonstrations in the region until Wednesday.

READ MORE: 'Yellow Vests' Spokesman Says Movement Turned Into 'Real Opposition'

The wave of the so-called yellow vest protests — named after the obligatory attribute of French drivers — started in mid-November. While the French government has scrapped its planned hike in fuel taxes, which is what initially sparked the protests, the "yellow vests" have evolved into a broader movement against government policies and rising living costs. The rallies have been marked by violent clashes between protesters and the police.