Yellow vests also took to the streets in France. Historical building burned, town hall raided

The student protests, which started as a reaction to the shortage of teachers and neglected schools in high schools in poor suburbs in France, turned into a massive nationwide anti-government movement targeting the cost of living and public expenditures.

Today, the most violent clashes of recent years took place in many cities between thousands of people who took to the streets and the police; Security forces intervened in the crowds with tear gas.

According to local media reports, the yellow vest movement, which started in 2018 and took to the streets every year against the high cost of living, was also supported by high school students who have been protesting for a month to improve educational conditions, farmers protesting fuel prices and climate activists.

The French Ministry of Internal Affairs announced that protests will be held at 500 different points across the country.

On the other hand, the Paris Police Department banned protests at important points in the capital such as the Elysee Palace, the Prime Ministry building and the Champs-Elysees.

Despite the ban, shop owners on the famous Champs-Elysees Avenue blocked their shop windows with billboards and security forces were deployed along the street.

The historical tourist information center located in Bellecour Square, one of the landmarks of the city of Lyon, was destroyed and set on fire during the demonstrations. While the flames rising from the building caused panic in the surrounding area, the police intervened with tear gas against the groups who threw fireworks and various objects at the security forces.

It was reported that fire crews had difficulty intervening in the fire that broke out in the historical building, which was built by architect Tony Desjardins in 1852 and was used as a military station and police station in the past, due to the ongoing conflicts in the surrounding area.

Lyon Mayor Gregory Doucet condemned the setting of the historical building on fire, stating that public buildings are the common heritage of the city's residents and such attacks are unacceptable.

In his statement before the demonstrations, French President Emmanuel Macron stated that the right to protest should be respected and said, "The right to demonstrate is fully respected, but this right must also bring with it respect for persons and property."

The Ministry of Internal Affairs condemned the attacks on public buildings, workplaces and security forces. The Ministry held far-left groups responsible for the violent incidents in some cities.

French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu also warned that violence was increasing in the protests that have been going on for weeks, and announced that more than 900 police officers and gendarmes were injured in previous protests.