France to beef up security for next protests after May Day violence

PARIS - Interior Minister Gerard Collomb said on Wednesday that security will be beefed up for the upcoming protests this week after the traditional May Day rally in Paris turned violent.

"There will be more number of security forces ... who will separate those who wish to demonstrate from those who wish to vandalize," Collomb told France 2 television.

A new round of protests are planned later this week against the economic reforms of French President Emmanuel Macron, who is set to celebrate his first anniversary at the Elysee Palace as social climate is overshadowed by rail strikes and street demonstrations.

Paris police chief Michel Delpuech said 283 members of far-left anarchist groups, also called as Black Blocs, were arrested with 109 were placed into custody after Tuesday's violent clashes on the sidelines of May Day rally in the French capital.

Four people were slightly injured including one policeman, according to Delpuech.

Following a call on social media for a "Revolutionary Day," some 1,200 hooded and masked anarchists were gathered in Austerlitz bridge in eastern Paris on Tuesday.

TV footages showed they set fire to vehicles and threw incendiary objects at a Macdonald's restaurant, where windows were totally smashed. Flames appeared also at a construction equipment and Renault garage before being dispersed by riot police.

According to Paris police chief, 31 stores were vandalized and six cars were torched.

President Macron, who is on a visit to Australia, tweeted after the violence: "I condemn with absolute firmness the violence that took place today and derailed the May Day processions. Everything will be done so that the perpetrators are identified and held responsible for their actions."

"There is a government, there is a state, and it will continue to act," he said.

On the eve of the international Workers' Day, Paris police headquarters decided to pour 1,500 police officers into the capital to ensure safety at peacefull rally planned by labor unions after extremist groups launched a call on social media to make "a day in hell" to government officials and target "symbols of capitalism."

However, the government was still criticized by the opposition for not having done enough to prevent the violence.

Laurent Wauquiez, the head of the conservative " The Republicans" party (LR) denounced the failure of the state and urged for a restoration of authority.

In the far-right wing, Marine Le Pen pointed the finger to the government's "laxity" and "meekness" to rein what she called "leftist militias."

Speaking to France 2 television, Collomb defended the police response to the situation on Tuesday, saying "There is no state's failure ... During last events, we went around the hospitals, ...no one was hurt."

The minister further explained that "We know it (about Black Blocs gathering), but we can not arrest people who come in civilian clothes and then suddenly they got dressed in black and infiltrated in the crowd."

Michel Delpuech, Paris police chief, told reporters on Tuesday, police did not intervene immediately after the protesters began smashing stores' windows to avoid casualties and escalating violence.

Black Blocs had infiltrated into a demonstration of around 14,500 people which took place alongside the official union rally, he added.

"There were other protesters in front of them, ... We could not intervene without fear of collateral damage," he explained.

"When we saw this violence and the attackers' determination, I immediately gave an order to stop the march," he added.