"Taking into account abuses and violence committed, the prefect of [Paris] police has requested the cancellation of the event planned from the Place d'Italie [Italy Square]", the prefecture said on Twitter.
#manifestation Mise en œuvre de la stratégie opérationnelle sur la place d'Italie. pic.twitter.com/BMTdj4dMUX
— Préfecture de Police (@prefpolice) November 16, 2019
According to a Sputnik correspondent, on Saturday afternoon, protesters built several barricades on Italy Square, and then set them on fire. The fire brigade arrived at the scene. Police squads are also present, deploying tear gas at the demonstrators.
Protesters shout offensive slogans to the police and throw glass bottles and rubbish. Thick acrid smoke hangs over the square every now and then, claps from the burst of shells and the screams of the crowd are heard.
France, especially Paris, has been swept by yellow vest protests since mid-November 2018. Started initially as rallies against fuel tax hikes, the protests then grew into a full-scale movement which representatives took to the streets every Saturday. After the government abandoned its plans on raising the fuel tax, protesters continued hitting the streets across France, demanding fewer taxes, wage hikes and even the resignation of Macron.
The rallies often ended in violent confrontations between police and demonstrators, with the later hurling stones and projectiles at officers, smashing cars and shop windows and erecting and subsequently burning barricades. Police repeatedly resorted to tear gas and water cannon to disperse the most violent demonstrators, The clashes resulted in numerous injuries, some very severe, among both police and protesters.
