The French government has blamed the protests in Paris over rising fuel costs on far-right leader Marine Le Pen.

Demonstrations and road blockades were set up nationwide as the "yellow vest" protests entered a second weekend.

They have been named after the fluorescent jackets worn by protesters, which motorists must keep in their cars by law.

Paris protests turn violent

Image: Two people have been killed in the protests so far

In the capital on Saturday, hundreds descended on the Champs Elysee, where officers used cordons to stop them from advancing to the presidential palace nearby and deployed water cannon and tear gas to disperse the protesters.

Some of the protesters were singing the national anthem, while others brandished placards demanding the resignation of President Emmanuel Macron and calling him a "thief".


Eventually, words turned to action for some demonstrators who were spotted tearing up paving stones to throw at police as fires were lit in the streets.

Image: The majority of French people support the protests, according to a poll

Interior minister Christophe Castaner denounced protesters from the far-right and accused National Front leader Ms Le Pen of encouraging them.

"Marine Le Pen urged people to come to the Champs Elysees, and there are members of the ultra-right putting up barriers," Mr Castaner said.

"They have responded to Marine Le Pen's call and want to take the institutions of state. We want people to be responsible.

"The right to demonstrate is a fundamental right and we will protect that, but we cannot protect those carried away by violence... those who only want to protest should pull back from this violence and denounce it."

Ms Le Pen rejected the accusation that she had egged on protesters and said she had "never called for any violence whatsoever".

She accused the government of "organising the tension" and seeking to make her a scapegoat.

Meanwhile, opposition parties on both the right and left accused the government of trying to reduce the protests to just the sporadic scenes of violence while turning a deaf ear to the demonstrators' grievances.

Jean-Luc Melenchon, leader of the radical left France Unbowed party who attended a separate march on Saturday protesting about violence against women, tweeted that the action on the streets was "a mass protest of the people" against the government's policies.

Officials say 24 people were injured in the clashes, including five officers. Sixty-nine people were arrested.

Mr Macron condemned the violence.

Image: There were tense scenes in Paris as protesters tried to reach the Elysees Palace

Thanking the police on Twitter, he carried on to say in a tweet: "Shame on those who attacked them. Shame on those who have abused other citizens and journalists. Shame on those who tried to intimidate the elect. No place for this violence in the Republic."

Protesters are opposed to the taxes that Mr Macron introduced last year on diesel and petrol, which are designed to encourage people to use more environmentally friendly forms of transport.

The price of diesel has risen 23% in the past 12 months, while Mr Macron's approval rating has sunk as low as 21% in recent opinion polls.

Image: Protesters are furious at the rising price of diesel - with some calling Emmanuel Macron a 'thief'

Away from the capital, highways have been blocked - with burning barricades and convoys of slow-moving trucks obstructing access to fuel depots, shopping centres and factories.

Two people have been killed in the protests so far, including a 62-year-old woman who was run over after a motorist panicked after her car was surrounded by demonstrators.

A poll this week indicated that 73% of people in France have expressed support for the protests, which have been characterised as a grassroots movement lacking in clear leadership.

Last weekend's demonstrations attracted an estimated 250,000 people.

Mr Macron has admitted that he has "not succeeded in reconciling the French with their leaders" and had "not given them enough consideration", but is standing firm and refusing to rescind the fuel taxes.

One protester, Esteban, told Sky News last week that he was considering taking a second job to pay for his transport, and believed fuel tax increases, imposed as part of Mr Macron's anti-fossil fuel strategy, were "for the money".