PARIS: Riot police take evasive action as protesters throw a petrol bomb at them during clashes on Thursday.—AP

PARIS: French riot police fired teargas and stun grenades on Thursday during clashes in Paris with opponents of labour reforms who threw molotov cocktails in the latest outbreak of violence over the controversial new laws.

At least four demonstrators and eight police were injured — including one officer who sustained burns — as tens of thousands rallied against the law, forced through by the Socialist government in July after months of often violent protests.

At least 15 people were arrested in the capital, where police said around 13,000 people took part in the rally against measures aimed at loosening France’s notoriously rigid employment laws — the 14th such demonstration in six months.

A march in the western city of Nantes also turned violent, with police there using tear gas and water cannon against protesters.

Nationwide, around 78,000 took part in the protests, according to the police. The organisers estimated the turnout at around 170,000.

Scores of flights in and out of the country were also cancelled as air traffic controllers went on strike to protest the law that makes it easier to fire workers during downturns and for bosses to negotiate directly with employees on working time.

“We will show them that, law or no law, we will always stand against them,” Francois Roche, a member of the hardline CGT union demonstrating in Marseille, said.

The turnout nationwide was however far lower than at the start of the rallies six months ago, when they brought hundreds of thousands of people onto the streets.

Published in Dawn, September 16th, 2016