Thousands of protesters have taken over the streets of Paris, setting fire to cars, smashing shop windows, and attacking military police.

They gathered before sunrise at the Arc du Triomphe, wearing the yellow vests they’re named after.

The protest started passively, but as the day wore on tensions boiled over and violence broke out.

Men and women – many of whom have come from outside the capital – hurled rocks and other projectiles at police, who retaliated with tear gas canisters. (AP)

Men and women – many of whom have come from outside the capital – hurled rocks and other projectiles at police, who retaliated with tear gas canisters.

9News was there as one man was hit in the face.

“He’s lost his eye, his eye is gone!” his friend screamed as he was rushed to an ambulance.

Further down the same street, police unleashed a water cannon on a group that was refusing to move back.

Authorities were prepared for this, deploying 89,000 police and security forces around France and 8000 in Paris.

A dozen tanks rolled through the streets of the capital, a show of force the military hoped would keep protesters back.

Thousands of protestors have taken over the streets of Paris, setting fire to cars, smashing shop windows, and attacking military police. (AP)

Officers held their ground at the Arc du Triomphe, using tear gas to ensure the crowd didn’t break the police line and charge the famous landmark.

But further down the Champs-Élysées, it was chaos.

On one street, a group of men set fire to a Range Rover. It exploded, filling the sky with black smoke, and sending protesters running.

It’s exactly what authorities had feared: an escalation of the violence that’s plagued Paris for a month.

What started as a protest again a fuel tax increase has now spiralled out of control.

The protest started passively, but as the day wore on tensions boiled over and violence broke out. (AP)

There were similar scenes of violence in the French cities of Marseilles and Bordeaux.

And the yellow vest movement has spilled across Europe too, with clashes in Brussels and the Netherlands.

All in all 135 hurt were hurt in protests across France, while about 1000 were detained.

Around 7.30pm local time, the Prime Minister of France declared the situation in Paris was under control – apart from a few remaining flare-ups.

Edouard Philippe praised the work of military forces and police, and said the priority for the government now is uniting the people of France.

The French President this week scrapped the tax in an attempt to quell the growing discontent, but one look around Paris tonight will tell you the backflip was too little, too late.

A dozen tanks rolled through the streets of the capital, a show of force the military hoped would keep protestors back. (EPA)

These protesters are angry. They say they can’t afford their mortgages and their bills.

“France is a rich country,” one protestor tells 9News.

“There’s no reason for us to live like this.”

There’s definitely signs that the yellow vest movement has been infiltrated by some extreme far right and far left groups who want to destroy and wreak havoc across the capital.

So far today, 30 people have been injured and more than 500 protesters arrested. And it’s not over – the streets are still filled with anger and fire and chants of hatred.

9News was there as looters smashed fire extinguishers through a shop window and trashed a beautiful suit store. They left a message graffitied on the doorway: “Merry Christmas Macron”.

The President and his government have a huge challenge ahead of them in staring down this unrest. Especially when the protagonists have no leader or representative.

“We are the people,” they tell 9News.