Protesters set barricades on fire in the street during clashes with French police forces as part of a demonstration near the Champs Elysees in Paris, France, Dec. 8, 2018. EPA/IAN LANGSDON

France in turmoil as at least 30 injured, over 600 arrested in Paris protests

At least 30 people have been injured and more than 600 have been arrested in the mass social protests sweeping over the French capital (and the rest of the country) on Saturday, as documented by an epa-efe reporter on the ground.

A spokesperson for Paris' police prefecture told EFE that three out of the 30 injured were police officers.

The source added that at 4.30 pm local time, 615 arrests had been counted; 508 of those detained remained held in custody at police stations.

The downtown area surrounding the iconic Champs Élysées avenue has been at the epicenter of clashes between riot gear-equipped police and thousands of protesters, known as the "Yellow Vests" due to the high-visibility traffic jackets they sport that have become a widespread symbol of discontent with the state of French politics, especially with the presidency of Emmanuel Macron.

Riot police used tear gas and charged against barricades mounted by demonstrators on several Parisian streets.

Earlier in the day, the French secretary of state for the interior, Laurent Nuñez, had claimed that this fourth round of nationwide protests – which had initially erupted over outrage at a surge in the carbon tax on diesel fuel – only saw the participation of 31,000 people across France, 8,000 of whom gathered in Paris.

After the first protest on Nov. 17, the "Yellow Vests" have since then expanded their hodgepodge list of demands to include wide-ranging calls for an increase in social spending on pensions and education, slashing taxes, improving infrastructure, curtailing immigration and ending the privatization of public services, among many other issues.