May Day riots: 109 remain in custody in France Published duration 2 May 2018

media caption Cars were set ablaze and shops wrecked by masked and hooded rioters

French police are holding 109 people - a day after masked demonstrators smashed shop windows and torched cars during May Day protests.

Far-left anarchist groups, known as Black Blocs, hijacked a peaceful rally against President Emmanuel Macron's public sector labour reforms.

Police said about 1,200 masked and hooded protesters attended the annual 1 May demonstration by labour unions.

Four people, including a police officer, were lightly wounded.

Police on Wednesday corrected an earlier figure of more than 200 arrested given out by the Interior Minister Gerard Collomb.

The protesters were swamped with teargas and sprayed with a water cannon in an effort to disperse them.

image copyright EPA image caption Protesters wore protective masks against tear gas

image copyright Reuters image caption They pulled down signs and clashed with officers

The black-clad protesters attempted to hold up the demonstration march, before smashing shop windows along the route and torching a McDonald's near Austerlitz station.

Various vehicles and a car dealership were also set ablaze, and graffiti was scrawled on walls.

Government spokesman Benjamin Griveaux criticised the protesters for covering their faces.

"When you have sincere convictions, you demonstrate with your face unmasked," he said. "Those who wear hoods are the enemies of democracy."

image copyright EPA image caption A protester holds the French Tricolour with an anti-Macron slogan outside a destroyed McDonald's

image copyright Getty Images image caption Other demonstrators rallied against public sector labour reforms

There is widespread discontent in labour unions over Mr Macron's reforms. Rail staff have begun three months of nationwide strikes over a planned overhaul of state-run railway SNCF.

Tens of thousands of teachers, nurses and other workers joined the rail staff on strike in March. The president has said he will not back down on his agenda.

Unions said the number of peaceful protesters at the main demonstration on Tuesday was about 55,000. Police put the number lower, at about 20,000.

image copyright EPA image caption Pedestrians look at a destroyed McDonald's near Austerlitz station