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The yellow vest protests in the French capital escalated on Saturday with protesters firing tear gas canisters against police officers and holding up banners calling for France to leave the European Union. More than 400 people have already been arrested with thousands of protesters breaking police barriers to inundate the streets of Paris. The so-called gilets jaunes have been protesting against French President Emmanuel Macon 's policies for the fourth weekend in a row.

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8,000 officers and 12 armoured vehicles sent into Paris today as more than 1,000 people gathered in the city centre.

Protesters met at the Champs-Elysées and marched to a police cordon before stopping.

This is now the fourth weekend of protests, with last week seeing hundreds of people arrested and many injured on the streets.

Ministers have said the protests have been hijacked by “ultra-violent” protestors as four have died and hundreds more have been injured.

Despite the violence, the movement has garnered support from the French people, with 77 percent justifying the protests according to French news site Le Figaro.