"Walk like a rich or die like a poor", reads graffiti on the Champs-Elysees credit: Magali Delporte

Troublemakers were chased away from the Belgian equivalent of Downing St by riot police, water cannons and tear gas. Stones were thrown in return, but some insisted by masked troublemakers and not the "yellow vests".

"Incomprehensible violence towards the police who do their best every day to protect citizens and society. Scandalous," tweeted Belgian interior minister Jan Jambon.

Later, loud bangs rang out as protesters marched down Brussels’ busiest road throwing firecrackers, chanting football songs and being honked by supportive and furious drivers.

The protesters have been inspired by the 'yellow vests' movement in neighbouring France credit: Reuters/Yves Herman

“We want this movement to spread,” said Gilles, who did not want to give his surname. “It began in France, it is here now, and we want it to continue to Germany and the Netherlands, across Europe, even to England.”

Charles Michel, the Belgian prime minister, has pushed ahead with unpopular reforms since the Liberal formed a coalition government with the Flemish nationalist NVA.

“The thugs and looters will have to be punished,” said Mr Michel.

Over in Paris, builders were busy boarding up flagship banks and stores along the Champs-Elysées as “the world’s most beautiful avenue” braced for its third straight Saturday of violence.

In what President Emmanuel Macron called “war scenes”, a peaceful protest descended into riots and tear gas, leaving many of the avenue’s windows smashed by cobblestones and other objects.

Wooden panels are placed over HSBC's windows in readiness credit: Magali Delporte

Caught woefully off guard last Saturday, police are taking no chances this time: they have mobilised up to 5,000 officers, are banning traffic and allowing in pedestrians only after ID checks.

Christophe Castaner, the interior minister, said access would be "very tight", with bag searches and systematic requests for identity papers from anybody trying to enter.

Despite the extra measure, the avenue’s new Apple store, its global flagship outlet which opened earlier this month, will be shutting for the whole day.

“Nobody’s going to come to the Champs-Elysées on Saturday, it’s probably going to be an empty place because look what happened last week,” said one manager who declined to be named.

“I’ve seen a lot of tourists who said we came today because we’re not coming tomorrow, because they all saw what happened on the news. Even if they filter there are so many side streets. Lots of stores are closing.”

But Benjamin Bouchard, 37, manager of La Maison du Danemark restaurant, said his would be opening.

“After all the mess of last week, which was anarchy and very poorly handled, things should go better with the checkpoints,. But if it kicks off, we’re shutting,” he said.

Benjamin Bouchard's business suffered because of the protests credit: Magali Delporte

The violence has meant restaurant had a “catastrophic month of November with sales down 30 per cent down compared to last year at the least,” he said.

“Customers are scared and wonder what’s going on. I’ve had people ring from Denmark ring to say they’ve cancelled their trip to France.”

He added: “As usual this is going to offer a negative image of Paris. We were just rising from the ashes after a wave of terrorism and now we have the yellow vests. I don’t think it will stop tomorrow the way things are going.”

Most tourists were aware of the impending protest.

Britons Jason and Sharon Ellidge from Keffering, Northampton were visiting the Champs-Elysées in their first ever trip to Paris to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary. “We only learned about the protests on the news this morning,” they said, relieved to have missed any trouble.

Vera Elfent, a tourist from Cologne, was posing for a photo outside the Louis Vuitton store, whose window was damaged.

“We came to Paris to celebrate my birthday. We decided to go to the Champs-Elysées today because we saw on TV what happened last week. We’re going to the Moulin Rouge instead. I understand people want to protest but it’s not a good thing to destroy things. I hope things will calm down,” she said.

Vera Elfent came from Cologne to Paris for her birthday credit: Magali Delporte

Lionel Guglieri, manager of L’Alsace restaurant, welcomed the extra measures after losing €100,000 last weekend in business and damage.

He said: “We went from the Armistice commemoration of November 11 with all the heads of states to scenes of war. When they put their mind to it, police can protect the avenue. What happened last week must not happen again.”

He said that hotels, such as Fouquet’s and Marriott, were having an even worse time. While these declined to comment, research firm MKG estimate the violence is likely to cost hotels around the city at least €10 million due to cancellations.

"Images showing riot scenes on the world's most beautiful avenue and broadcast around the world led a number of tourists planning to come to Paris in December to cancel their trip," said MKG.

"Most hotels have had booking cancellations for at least one day in December, or a revenue shortfall of up to 20 percent," it said.

French government attempts to negotiate with the "yellow vest" movement collapsed on Friday after just two representatives turned up for a meeting with the prime minister and one immediately walked out after being told he could not invite TV cameras in to broadcast the encounter live to the nation.

Mr Macron has refused to back down on his anti-pollution taxes. Speaking on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Argentina, he said he understood "the legitimate anger, the impatience and the suffering of some people”.

But he warned that any measures announced "in the coming weeks and months" would "never be a retreat" on policy.

In a sign of seething anger, minister for overseas territories, Annick Girardin, was forced to cut short a meeting with demonstrators in the French Indian Ocean island of Reunion after being booed by protesters shouting "Macron, resign!"