President Macron's spokesman Benjamin Griveaux was forced to flee from his office

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Benjamin Griveaux escaped through a back door of the compound after about a dozen people - some wearing yellow vests and others dressed in black - breached the barriers and began smashing up cars and windows. The 41-year-old father-of-two and his staff sought refuge in a hotel nearby after being evacuated. On Friday Mr Griveaux held a press conference after the weekly cabinet meeting where he told reporters that the yellow vest protesters were not interested in debate but instead wanted to “overthrow the government”.

The door of Mr Griveaux's compound is seen damaged

A demonstrator is seen on top of a burning baricade at a rally in Paris

President Macron responded to the violation of government property by tweeting that the country’s “guardians, its representative, its symbols” were under attack. It comes as the yellow vest protesters took part in their eight weekend of rallies in Paris and other cities across France to voice their discontent at Mr Macron’s government. What began as peaceful demonstrations in central Paris on Saturday morning soon descended into chaos as motorbikes were torched and barricades set ablaze in the upmarket Boulevard Saint Germain. Police who were blocking bridges to prevent protesters crossing the river to reach the National Assembly had missiles fired at them and countered the rioters with tear gas.

A protester throws a metal barrier at policer officers during a rally in Paris on Saturday

The repaired door of Mr Griveaux's building is seen this morning

urned cars are pictured near avenue Champs-Elysees after clashes on Saturday

Protesters prepare to clash with police in Toulouse

A riverboat restaurant in the Seine was set on fire and a policeman was hurt when he was hit by a bicycle thrown from a street above the river bank. Later in the day, images of hooded youths setting a car alight flashed across TV screens but the violence paled in comparison to that in November when demonstrators looted shops, vandalised banks and defaced the Arc de Triomphe. In recent weeks, authorities have blamed the worst of the violence on anarchists, anti-capitalists and extreme groups on the fringes of the movement. Francois Cordier, who took part in one of the rallies yesterday, said: "They have no right to leave us in the s*** like this. We're fed up with having to pay out the whole time, we've had enough of this slavery, we should be able to live on our salaries."

A riot policeman fires a teargas shell during clashes in Paris on Saturday

Protesters throw a metal barrier at policer officers at a yellow vest rally in Paris

Police try to remove a baricade set alight by protesters in Le Mans

Protesters march in a rally in La Rochelle on Saturday