The Yellow Vest movement staged anti-government protests for the 15th week in a row on Saturday, with thousands participating across France. Some minor clashes were reported during the generally peaceful day of action.

The French Interior Ministry estimates that a total of 41,500 people marched in streets around the country, a dwindling number compared to almost 300,000 at the peak of the movement’s strength.

French authorities arrested 13 protesters in Clermont-Ferrand, with the police reporting the seizure of baseball bats, crowbars and other weapons.

A further six people were taken into custody in the capital, Paris, while in Nantes police deployed tear gas against the demonstrators.

Le défilé se passait tranquillement lorsque tout à coup, suite à quelques feux d’artifice, une Première salve de lacrymogène devant le carré feydeau a provoqué un mouvement de foule et vidé les terrasses du Bouffay en quelques secondes #acte15#Nantes#giletsjaunespic.twitter.com/zRHWXX59rk — Stéphanie LAMBERT 🗞 (@steph_lambert44) February 23, 2019

#acte15#Nantes#giletsjaunes « Ça pique la gorge » se plaint une ado. Repoussés par une pluie de lacrymogène, une partie du cortège a emprunté le pont en direction du palais de justice, une autre se dirige vers le pont Anne de Bretagne pic.twitter.com/jbHwQSzS3u — Stéphanie LAMBERT 🗞 (@steph_lambert44) February 23, 2019

There were also chaotic scenes in Montpellier where riot control officers drenched protesters with a water cannon and fired tear gas into the crowd.

#montpellier les canons à eau sont utilisés pic.twitter.com/WCPq7b98yh — Midi Libre (@Midilibre) February 23, 2019

Most of the protest events on Saturday were rallies, but one group instead gathered for a picnic at the Chambord chateau, a popular tourist attraction in the Centre-Val de Loire region in central France. The castle had been used by President Emmanuel Macron to celebrate his 40th birthday in 2017.

Les #GiletsJaunes ont des goûts de luxe... leur gilet n'est plus jaune mais doré... #Chambordpic.twitter.com/X3n1ep4Gb5 — verodomi (@avironar) February 23, 2019

A more combative protest took place in Toulouse, where environmental activists disrupted work at an Amazon depot.

Toulouse. Blocage d’Amazon en cours lors de l’acte 15 des gilets jaunes – actu https://t.co/CgUULazHIBpic.twitter.com/rnec64nNgK — UniverSmartphone (@UniverSmartphon) February 23, 2019

The large scale rallies were sparked last November in reaction to proposed fuel hikes, which were subsequently shelved. They have since morphed into a rejection of Macron’s government. The Yellow Vest protesters are planning to keep holding demonstrations until March 9, when they plan to stage a “decisive protest” against Macron.

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