Thirteen people were arrested as clashes broke out in Paris yesterday (Sat) on the fringes of a protest against police brutality following the alleged assault of a young black man earlier this month.

As an estimated 2,300 protesters dispersed, including the footballer Lilian Thuram, small groups broke away and hurled rocks at helmeted riot police, who deflected most of them with their shields.

According to some reports, one officer was injured but was not believed to have been seriously hurt. More than 250 people have been arrested in almost nightly unrest in the poverty-stricken suburbs since the 22-year-old, named only as Théo, was allegedly sodomised with a truncheon on February 2.