They came in their tens of thousands, for a second weekend running, demanding change and demonstrating against escalating costs of living and rising inequalities.

“We just want our government to listen to us,” said Laetitia Dewalle, an organiser of the “yellow vest” protests which brought cities across France to a standstill on Saturday.

She was, it now seems, in for disappointment.

As the protests turned violent and demonstrators clashed with police, President Emmanuel Macron appeared unwilling to engage with the reasons behind why 109,000 had taken to streets all over the country.

“Shame on all the people who assaulted [the police],” he tweeted instead. “Shame to those who voluntarily assaulted citizens and reporters. Shame on those who tried to intimidate our elected officials.”

His interior minister Christophe Castaner went further, calling the protesters “seditious” and labelling them supporters of the far right.

The abrasive statements followed a day in which tear gas and water cannons were turned on marchers in Paris – a minority of who were seen ripping up pavements, building street blockades and starting fires.

The Champs-Elysee was brought to a standstill as running battles under cover of smoke took place. At one point, demonstrators set fire to a shed on wheels and rolled it towards officers protecting key sites. Some 42 people were arrested in the capital and another 88 across the country. Six people – including two police officers – were reported injured.

Yet analysts in the country widely agreed that to call the demonstrations the work of the far right seems to have widely misread the public mood.

This weekend’s demonstrations had been called “act two” in a campaign which started last Saturday when some 280,000 took to the streets.

Paris fuel protests: Demonstrators clash with police Show all 22 1 /22 Paris fuel protests: Demonstrators clash with police Paris fuel protests: Demonstrators clash with police Protestors make a barricade during a protest of Yellow vests (Gilets jaunes) against rising oil prices and living costs near the Arc of Triomphe on the Champs Elysees in Paris, on November 24, 2018. - Security forces in Paris fired tear gas and water cannon on November 24 to disperse protesters. Several thousand demonstrators, wearing high-visibility yellow jackets, had gathered on the avenue as part of protests which began on November 17, 2018. (Photo by Bertrand GUAY / AFP)BERTRAND GUAY/AFP/Getty Images BERTRAND GUAY AFP/Getty Images Paris fuel protests: Demonstrators clash with police A barricade is seen during a "Yellow vest" protest against higher fuel prices in Paris REUTERS Paris fuel protests: Demonstrators clash with police A woman wears a Yellow vest (Gilet jaune) reading "Macron resign" with a French flag on the Champs Elysees in Paris, on November 24, 2018 during a protest against rising oil prices and living costs. - Police fired tear gas and water cannon on November 24 in central Paris against "yellow vest" protesters demanding French President roll back tax hikes on motor fuel. AFP/Getty Paris fuel protests: Demonstrators clash with police Riot police vehicles stand on the Champs Elysees in Paris, on November 24, 2018 during a protest of Yellow vests (Gilet jaune) against rising oil prices and living costs. - Police fired tear gas and water cannon on November 24 in central Paris against "yellow vest" protesters demanding French President roll back tax hikes on motor fuel. AFP/Getty Paris fuel protests: Demonstrators clash with police Protesters wearing yellow vests, a symbol of a French drivers' protest against higher fuel prices, build a barricade during clashes on the Champs-Elysees in Paris, France, REUTERS Paris fuel protests: Demonstrators clash with police A protestor throws flares on the Champs Elysees, in Paris on November 24, 2018 during a national rally initiated by the Yellow vests (gilets jaunes in french) to protest against rising oil prices and living costs. - Security forces in Paris fired tear gas and water cannon on November 24 to disperse protesters who tried to break through a police cordon on the Champs-Elysees. Several thousand demonstrators, wearing high-visibility yellow jackets, had gathered on the avenue as part of protests which began on November 17, 2018 AFP/Getty Images Paris fuel protests: Demonstrators clash with police A protester wearing yellow vest, a symbol of a French drivers' protest against higher fuel prices, gestures during riots on the Champs-Elysees in Paris REUTERS Paris fuel protests: Demonstrators clash with police A truck burns during a "Yellow vest" protest against higher fuel prices during clashes on the Champs-Elysees in Paris, France REUTERS Paris fuel protests: Demonstrators clash with police A protester wearing yellow vest, a symbol of a French drivers' protest against higher fuel prices, talks to the police officer during clashes on the Champs-Elysees in Paris, France REUTERS Paris fuel protests: Demonstrators clash with police A man kneels on the street during a "Yellow vest" protest against higher fuel prices in Paris, France REUTERS Paris fuel protests: Demonstrators clash with police A huge explosion is seen on the famed Champs-Elysees avenue, after protesters, called the yellow jackets, set on fire a construction trailer during clashes with riot police as they protest against the fuel taxes, in Paris, France, Saturday, Nov. 24, 2018. French police fired tear gas and water cannons to disperse demonstrators in Paris Saturday, as thousands gathered in the capital and staged road blockades across the nation to vent anger against rising fuel taxes and Emmanuel Macron's presidenc AP Paris fuel protests: Demonstrators clash with police A protester wearing French flag attends a "Yellow vest" protest against higher fuel prices on the Champs-Elysees in Paris, France REUTERS Paris fuel protests: Demonstrators clash with police Paris Protests Protesters clash with riot police as they deploy tear gas during a demonstration of Yellow vests (Gilets jaunes) on the Champs Elysees in Paris AFP/Getty Images Paris fuel protests: Demonstrators clash with police Paris Protests A protester wrapped in a French flag faces riot police during a demonstration on the Champs Elysees in Paris. AFP/Getty Images Paris fuel protests: Demonstrators clash with police Paris Protests A protester dressed in hivis vest holds a french flag as she stands on a red light at the Champs Elysee, in Paris. AFP/Getty Images Paris fuel protests: Demonstrators clash with police Paris Protests A demonstrator holds a flare on the Champs Elysees in Paris. AFP/Getty Images Paris fuel protests: Demonstrators clash with police A protester gestures on the Champs Elysee as protests against rising fuel prices bring Paris to a standstill. AFP/Getty Images Paris fuel protests: Demonstrators clash with police Paris Protests Demonstrators hold barriers on the Champs Elysees in Paris. AFP/Getty Images Paris fuel protests: Demonstrators clash with police Paris Protests Protesters demonstrate surrounded by tear gas on the Champs Elysees in Paris, on November 24, 2018. AFP/Getty Images Paris fuel protests: Demonstrators clash with police Paris Protests A protester wears a Yellow vest (Gilet jaune) reading "The richer always richer" during a demonstration on the Champs Elysees in Paris, on November 24, 2018. AFP/Getty Images Paris fuel protests: Demonstrators clash with police Paris Protests Demonstrators pulls out barriers as on the Champs Elysees in Paris. AFP/Getty Images Paris fuel protests: Demonstrators clash with police Paris Protests Riot police face Yellow vests (Gilets jaunes) protestors demonstrating near the ARc de Triomphe on the Champs Elysees in Paris. AFP/Getty Images

The protests started as an outcry against the rising cost of fuel duty which, in some cases, has gone up by 23 per cent in just 12 months. But it has since grown to reflect wider grievances about the rising cost of living, growing inequalities and anger at Mr Macron’s inability to deliver the changes he promised before his election.

Polls suggest almost 80 per cent of French people support the yellow vests – so called because protestors wear the high-viz jackets which French motorists have to carry in their car. Even more think Mr Macron should abandon plans to impose even higher taxes on petrol and diesel.

“We’re here because we’ve had enough,” Joel Mouilleseaux, a 24-year-old student told The Guardian. “It’s always the same people who have to pay for the madness of others.

“We have to work to pay, work some more to pay some more and it’s been like that for years. It’s been like it since I was born, president after president, and now we’re saying ‘That’s enough’.

“I want to be heard, listened to and have a response.”

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Another, Sylvie Poireau, a 46-year-old from a small town outside Paris, told The Daily Telegraph: “We’re made to pay higher taxes while they’ve scrapped the wealth tax on the rich. My daughter’s handicapped and I struggle at the end of every month to buy food.”