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| 'Yellow-vest' protesters gather on Paris Champs-Elysées | 'Yellow-vest' protesters gather on Paris Champs-Elysées |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| "Yellow vest" protesters have gathered on the Champs-Elysées in Paris for a fifth consecutive weekend of demonstrations. | "Yellow vest" protesters have gathered on the Champs-Elysées in Paris for a fifth consecutive weekend of demonstrations. |
| Thousands of police will be deployed in case of violent clashes and disruptions that have marked previous protests. | Thousands of police will be deployed in case of violent clashes and disruptions that have marked previous protests. |
| The movement began five weeks ago, initially against a rise in fuel taxes, but has since spread to take in other issues, including education reforms. | The movement began five weeks ago, initially against a rise in fuel taxes, but has since spread to take in other issues, including education reforms. |
| Dozens of people have already been arrested this Saturday. | Dozens of people have already been arrested this Saturday. |
| However, so far the number of arrests is much lower than the 500 made around the same time last weekend. | |
| Scuffles broke out in the centre of the city and police fired tear gas to disperse a crowd trying to make their way through police lines. | |
| Some shops and department stores in Paris have closed for the day as the protesters defied calls by the French government urging them to stay at home. | |
| "Last time, we were here for taxes," said 28-year-old called Jeremy told the AFP news agency. | |
| "This is for the institutions - we want more direct democracy," he said, adding that people needed to "shout to make themselves heard". | "This is for the institutions - we want more direct democracy," he said, adding that people needed to "shout to make themselves heard". |
| Some museums are closed, but both the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower remain open. | |
| Smaller protests have also been reported in Toulouse, Grenoble and Lyon. In Calais, a group of "yellow vests' blocked the access road to the port. | |
| The impact of the "gilets jaunes" (yellow-vest) demonstrations has been keenly felt in France. The government has been forced to bow to pressure and adjust its economic course. | The impact of the "gilets jaunes" (yellow-vest) demonstrations has been keenly felt in France. The government has been forced to bow to pressure and adjust its economic course. |
| President Emmanuel Macron responded to the nationwide street protests by scrapping an unpopular fuel tax rise, and promising an extra €100 (£90; $114) a month for minimum wage earners and tax cuts for pensioners. | President Emmanuel Macron responded to the nationwide street protests by scrapping an unpopular fuel tax rise, and promising an extra €100 (£90; $114) a month for minimum wage earners and tax cuts for pensioners. |
| However, it is far from clear that he has done enough to defuse public anger. | However, it is far from clear that he has done enough to defuse public anger. |
| The BBC's Hugh Schofield in Paris says some in the movement are calling for a pause following President Macron's concessions, but there are still yellow vests around the country who feel now is not the time to ease the pressure. | The BBC's Hugh Schofield in Paris says some in the movement are calling for a pause following President Macron's concessions, but there are still yellow vests around the country who feel now is not the time to ease the pressure. |