A group of Yellow Vest protesters ransacked a Masonic lodge in the French village of Tarbes during the 17th straight weekend of anti-government demonstrations, according to La Dépêche.

After around 450 protesters gathered in Tarbes, a small group split off around midnight - reportedly shouting "We're going to be freemasons!" - as they threw rocks at the lodge and broke down the door of the secretive organization's meeting place.

The group flipped over furniture and generally made a mess, however it does not appear they defaced any of the lodge's wall hangings.

Four ceremonial swords were stolen, however they were later returned.





In a statement, the Grand Lodge of France condemned the "unspeakable acts that are part of a context of surreptitious threats and hate speech against Freemasons."

French interior minister Christophe Castaner reacted over Twitter on Sunday, writing: "After the Jews, the Freemasons ... When stupidity competes with intolerance the worst."