Italy's populist leaders have thrown their support behind France's 'Yellow Vest' protesters in a remarkable show of defiance against French President Emmanuel Macron.

Deputy Prime Minister Luigi Di Maio and Prime Minister Matteo Salvini urged rioters throughout France 'not to weaken' as they threw their support behind the 'Gilets Jaunes' on Monday.

'Yellow vests, do not weaken!', Di Maio, who heads the anti-establishment Five Star Movement (M5S), wrote on his party's blog.

'I support honest citizens protesting against a president who governs against his people,' Salvini said in a statement, while 'firmly' condemning recent protest violence.

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Italy's Interior Minister Matteo Salvini (pictured) and coalition partner Luigi Di Maio threw their weight behind the Yellow Vests on Monday

Yellow vests protestors take part in an anti-government demonstration in downtown Lille, northern France, over the weekend

Burned cars are pictured near avenue Champs-Elysees, a day after clashes between yellow vest protesters and French riot police on Sunday

Macron has faced weeks of rebellion over tax hikes and educational reforms which have seen thousands of protesters engage in heated battles with armed police across France.

What began as a grassroots rebellion against diesel taxes and the high cost of living has morphed into something more perilous for Macron - an assault on his presidency and French institutions.

On Monday afternoon a former professional boxer who was caught on camera punching riot police in one of the 'Yellow Vest' protest handed himself into police.

Authorities had been hunting Christophe Dettinger, 36, after shocking video emerged of him taking on several riot gear-clad officers in a brutal encounter in Paris on Saturday.

On Sunday, he was on the run after investigating sources in the French capital confirmed he was the boxer who won France's Light Heavyweight title in October 2007.

Christophe Dettinger, 36, was pictured lashing out at officers on a River Seine bridge during anti-government protests on Saturday afternoon

Six-foot-four-inch Dettinger, pictured left, known as the 'Gypsy of Massy' after the south Paris suburb where he was bought up in a traveller community, won 18 fights out of 22, seven by KO

According to French newspaper thelocal.fr, the champion boxer handed himself on Monday in after showing up at a Paris police stattion with his lawyer.

France's Interior Ministers Christophe Castander announced that Dettinger was immediately remanded in custody and 'will now have to answer to these acts before the justice system'.

Extraordinary videos capture the savagery, showing Dettinger using his fists and feet against the police.

Dettinger, who is 6ft 4ins tall, is known as the 'Gypsy of Massy', after the south Paris suburb where he was bought up in a community of travelers.

He made no effort to cover his face during the rioting, at times adjusting a dark blue beany cap.

Dettinger held his champion title for two years, having won 18 fights out of 22, seven by knock out.

Women wearing yellow vests observes a minute of silence for the victims of the national yellow vest movement in Paris on Sunday

A demonstrator gestures on a burning barricade on Saturday evening in Paris, during an anti-government demonstration

After the video emerged, the French boxing video quickly condemned Dettinger's behaviour as 'completely contrary to the values of our sport.'

'The French Boxing Federation sends its support to the family and loved ones of the officer who was a victim of this individual, but equally to all the security forces who have been on duty these last weeks,' it said.

Meanwhile, the champion's former coach, Jacky Trompesauce implored Dettinger to turn himself into the cops.

'There was something that set it off, which I learned overnight,' Trompesauce told RMC radio on Monday morning.

'There was a women who was attacked by CRS (riot police).'

Attacking and injuring a police officer in France can lead to up to three years in prison and a fine of 45,000 euros (51,000 dollars), though sentences can be increased in certain circumstances.

'Mr Dettinger can clearly be seen attacking officers after they started using tear gas on the Passerelle Bridge,' said a French government source.

'They were trying to prevent rioters getting to the Paris parliament building, but the suspect was part of a mob who objected.'

Thousands of Yellow Vests took to the streets again over the weekend to protest against President Macron's reforms