
France is bracing for 'ultra-violent' protests' this weekend with 89,000 police on the streets and shops boarded up as demonstrators vent their fury at President Emmanuel Macron's reforms.

A dozen armoured cars equipped with machine guns will also patrol parts of Paris as the French government attempts to avoid urban warfare tomorrow amid fears thousands will bring chaos to the streets.

The Yellow Vests – fuel price protesters named after their high visibility jackets – will be joined by groups from the far-Right and the hard-Left in a mass show of anger against Macron's administration on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the Eiffel Tower will be closed, 8,000 police officers will be deployed in the French capital alone and 14 'high-risk' sectors will be cleared out - including one containing the world-renowned and glitzy Champs-Elysees avenue.

Seven members of the Yellow Vest movement said they were satisfied after their meeting with French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe on the eve of anti-government protests that authorities fear could turn violent.

On the march: Hundreds of students in Toulouse gathered today for a protest over education reforms which include stricter university entrance requirements

Protesters torched bins as they gathered in Paris today. Across the country some 89,000 police will be mobilised over the weekend

Yellow vests are hung outside windows of an apartment building in Marseille, southern France, today, in support of the protesters

A demonstrator kicks a smoke grenade shot by riot police during a demonstration by high school students in Lyon today

Workers set up protection on shop windows on the Champs-Elysees avenue amid fears of widespread rioting tomorrow

This was the scene on the Champs-Elysee today as workers fixed wooden boards to shop windows to protect businesses ahead of expected riots in the French capital this weekend

Flash point: Police arrest a protester during a demonstration of high school students in front of the Prefecture of Lille today

A dozen Berliet VXB-170s (file picture) will be deployed against thousands of demonstrators who have pledged to bring chaos to the capital, French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe confirmed

One of the participants to the meeting, Christophe Chalancon, told reporters the delegation of protesters called for measures aimed at improving the workers' salaries and the purchasing power of the French. The prime minister 'listened to us', he said.

Another participant, Jacline Mouraud, said that 'we are now waiting for the President to speak.'

Last week, a planned meeting between Philippe and representatives of the movement collapsed amid threats from some demonstrators and after a request to broadcast the talks live was rejected.

This afternoon, Interior minister Christophe Castaner warned 'some ultra-violent people want to take part' in the riots. At the height of the festive shopping season, many Paris store owners were boarding up their shop fronts.

Macron has agreed to abandon the fuel tax hike that triggered the movement. However, protesters' demands have now expanded to other issues hurting French workers, retirees and students.

Officials are set to deploy 12 Berliet VXB-170s, which are usually equipped with a 7.62mm machine gun and a 56mm Alsetex Cougar grenade launcher.

'We will use a dozen armoured gendarmerie vehicles because we have in front of us people who are not there to demonstrate but to smash up,' Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said on a live interview on TF1.

They are designed to break down barricades and to advance on crowds during riots, but are hardly ever used on the French mainland.

Some entered housing estates on the outskirts of major cities such as Paris during riots in 2005, when mainly suburban youths went on the rampage.

A total of 106 out of 109 squads of gendarmes will mobilise across France this weekend, along with other paramilitaries groups such as the Republican Security Companies (CRS).

Up until now, police chiefs have insisted that armoured vehicles were not necessary, but last Saturday the Arc de Triomphe itself was attacked, and there were more than 400 arrests.

Crisis-ridden Mr Macron has climbed down on imposing green surcharges in a bid to prevent more savage rioting, but his strategy is failing.

Riot police stand next to a burning bin after it was set alight during a demonstration by school students in Place de la Republique in Paris today

High school students stand on the defaced statue of the Republic in the Place de la Republique in Paris today. Yet more violence is predicted this weekend

High school students in Paris re-enact yesterday's student arrest in Mantes-la-Jolie, where students were seen kneeling with their hands on their heads

After several days of blocking Marseille's high schools, several thousand high school students took to the streets to make their anger heard over planned school reforms today

Up in flames: Bins were torched in the street as protesters blocked schools during another day of unrest in Marseille today

A car was overturned as protests turned violent in Marseille today. The government has drawn widespread criticism for letting a demonstration flare into a rampage during last weekend's clashes between protesters and police in the French capital

So far the government has excluded declaring a state of emergency, which would see army units deployed to protect sites at risk. This was the scene in Marseille today amid student protests

The Yellow Vests said their protests would continue indefinitely as they campaign for even more tax reductions. This was the scene in Marseille today where a car was flipped and torched during a protest over school reforms

The Yellow Vests said their protests would continue indefinitely as they campaign for even more tax reductions.

There have been calls for a State of Emergency to be announced, and for the Army to take to the streets, as some 4,500 police in Paris at times lost all control of the streets last week.

The current spate of Paris violence is considered the worst since the Spring of 1968, when President Charles de Gaulle's government feared a full-blown revolution.

The independent Mr Macron, leader of the Republic On The Move party, won the French presidential election in a landslide in 2017, but he is now dubbed the 'President of the Rich' with polls showing his popularity rating down to just 18 per cent.

French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said today that a three-week-old rebellion over taxes had spawned 'a monster'.

On the eve of a fourth set of demonstrations in the capital in as many weeks, Castaner vowed 'zero tolerance' towards those hoping to enact a repeat of last weekend's destruction and mayhem.

'These past three weeks have seen the birth of a monster that has escaped its creators,' a grave-looking Castaner told a press conference.

'It's time now for dialogue,' he urged.

Shops around the famous Champs-Elysees boulevard - epicentre of last week's battle between police and protesters - were battening down the hatches on Friday.

The sound of hammers and power tools rang out along the Grande Armee avenue as shops boarded up windows and emptied their stock.

Store windows are protected with panels on the Champs Elysees ahead of expected anti-government protests to be held in Paris and across France

A worker cleans a graffiti reading 'long term unrest' near the Champs-Elysees avenue this afternoon. There are fears of further riots over the weekend

The sound of hammers and power tools rang out along the Grande Armee avenue as shops boarded up windows and emptied their stock

Tear gas was used in a bid to disperse high school students as they demonstrated in Lyon this afternoon. There are fears of further violent scenes this weekend

Crowds of protesters packed the streets Stalingrad to place de la Republique in Paris today as students rallied against education reforms

Stand-off: Riot police stand in formation as they confront protesters in Lyon. Amid the violence, French retailers said they have lost around 1 billion euros in revenue since the start of the 'yellow vest' protests in the country last month

Much of Paris will be in lockdown on Saturday and tens of thousands of police deployed across the nation to contain what protesters are billing as 'Act IV' to the 'yellow vest' rebellion that has seen the worst unrest in the capital since 1968 student riots. This was the scene in Lyon today

Macron this week gave in to on some of the protesters' demands for measures to help the poor and struggling middle classes, including scrapping a planned increase in fuel taxes

What do the yellow vest protesters want? The yellow vest protests have gained traction online and taken in a huge range of groups from the radical far left to the nationalist far right, and moderates in between. Here are some of the many groups involved: Fuel protesters The 'gilet jaune' (yellow vest) movement sprang up in late October against increases in fuel taxes announced as part of President Emmanuel Macron's efforts to pursue clean energy policies. Anger in rural areas Many accuse Macron, dubbed the 'President of the Rich' as out of touch with ordinary people and of favouring wealthy city-dwellers with his policies. Key workers The likes of IT workers, secretaries, factory staff, care professionals and delivery workers who say low incomes mean they cannot make ends meet. Demands include a minimum pension, widespread changes to the tax system, and a reduction in the retirement age. Road transport Unions say drivers have been affected by changes to overtime payments which may affect the purchasing power of their members Students Angry at plans to reform the exam system, which they fear will limit opportunity and breed inequality. Political extremists Officials say groups from the hard left and far right have hijacked the yellow vest movement to further their causes. Advertisement

'We can't take the risk,' said a manager at a Ducati motorcycle dealership, as employees loaded luxury Italian racers onto trucks for safekeeping.

Last week, the store was looted of 120,000 euros' worth of merchandise.

Leading museums and landmarks, including the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Louvre and Musee d'Orsay, have also said they will remain closed on Saturday.

The US embassy issued a warning to its citizens in Paris to 'keep a low profile and avoid crowds'.

The French government has warned peaceful protesters to stay away from Paris on Saturday and vowed a tough response in the event of trouble.

Police are already battling accusations Friday of being heavy-handed, with a video of high-school pupils kneeling on the ground with their hands behind their heads causing widespread outrage.

'Whatever wrong was done, nothing justifies this filmed humiliation of minors,' Socialist leader Olivier Faure tweeted.

'There is no need to pour even more oil on the flames,' Faure warned after the mass round-up of teens following protests at a school in the Paris suburb of Mantes-la-Jolie, where two cars were burned.

Laurent Saint-Martin, a senior member of Macron's Republic On The Move (LREM) party, said around 40 of the students were masked and carrying equipment for use in vandalism and arson.

But he too described the videos as 'shocking'.

Meanwhile, French retailers have lost around 1 billion euros in revenue since the start of the protests in the country last month, the French retail federation (FCD) told Reuters on Friday.

The federation, which regroups large supermarket groups like Carrefour or Casino, has warned that the protests could spoil the crucial Christmas shopping season.

The 'yellow vest', named after the safety jackets worn by demonstrators, began blocking roads, fuel depots and shopping centres around France on November 17 over fuel price hikes.

Protests at dozens of schools over stricter university entrance requirements, and a call by farmers for demonstrations next week, have added to a sense of general revolt.

Four people have died so far in accidents during the yellow vest protests and political leaders from across the spectrum have appealed for calm.

Armoured cars equipped with machine guns will police the streets of Paris as the French government attempts to avoid urban warfare. This was the scene in Lille today as students protested in front of the lycee Montebello

The Eiffel Tower will be closed, 8,000 police officers will be deployed in the French capital and 14 'high-risk' sectors will be cleared out - including one containing the world-renowned and glitzy Champs-Elysees avenue. Pictured: Workers examine a security camera at the Eiffel Tower

Preparations: Workmen fix wooden boards over windows in Paris today amid warnings of violent protests in the capital over the weekend

Stand-off: Riot police face high school students demonstrating in front of the Prefecture of Lille, northern France today

The Yellow Vests – fuel price protesters named after their high visibility jackets – will be joined by groups from the far-Right and the hard-Left in a mass show of anger against President Emmanuel Macron's administration on Saturday. Pictured: Police confront protesters in Lille today

A total of 106 out of 109 squads of gendarmes will mobilise across France this weekend, along with other paramilitaries groups such as the Republican Security Companies (CRS). Pictured: Protesters in Paris today

The protesters, mainly from rural and small-town France, accuse Macron of favouring the rich and city-dwellers with his policies. Many are calling on him to resign.

Castaner on Friday estimated the number of people still taking part in demonstrations at 10,000 nationwide.

'10,000 is not the people, it's not France,' he argued, despite polls showing them enjoying strong support.

Macron's "cardinal sin", in the eyes of the protesters, was to slash wealth taxes shortly after taking office, while hiking taxes on pensioners and cutting housing benefits.

The 40-year-old former investment banker has so far ruled out re-imposing the "fortune tax" on high-earners, arguing it is necessary to boost investment and create jobs.

But his climbdown on anti-pollution fuel taxes - intended to help France transition to a greener economy - marks a major departure for a leader who had prided himself on not giving into street protests.

Prime Minister Edouard Philippe signalled a willingness to make further concessions, saying the government was ready to consider "any measure which would allow us to boost spending power".

Macron himself has not commented publicly on the crisis since his return from the G20 summit in Argentina a week ago. He has signalled he will address the protests early next week.