Paris (AFP)

Thousands of demonstrators marched on Saturday afternoon in Paris, at the call of the "yellow vests", chanting anti-Macron, anti-police or anti-pension slogans, a rally marked by tensions with the forces of the order, noted an AFP journalist.

"Too much suffering in this sub-France," could be read on a sign. "Macron, Philippe, traitors to the people", on another while the crowd chanted "The street, it's ours" and again "Macron, we come to pick you up at your place".

From the beginning of the afternoon, tensions with the police, intervened "to disperse a block which was trying to constitute itself at the head of the procession", according to the Paris police headquarters (PP).

But it is especially on arrival at the Gare de Lyon, that the face-to-face hardened in this procession organized for the 62nd day of mobilization of "yellow vests", with in particular the fire of a construction hut in front of the Gare de Lyon.

The police, deployed in large numbers since the beginning of the afternoon, used tear gas but also water cannons on numerous occasions. After 6:00 p.m., when the CRS called on the demonstrators to evacuate the area, several groups then dispersed in the surrounding streets, lighting fires in certain garbage cans.

At 6.30 p.m., 37 people had been arrested, said the Paris Prefecture of Police and 33 people were taken into police custody, the Paris Public Prosecutor said.

On images filmed and broadcast by AFP TV, we see a young man with a bloody face being arrested. Lying on his stomach and already handcuffed, the latter is hampered by the policeman who supports his knee on his arm. A video, circulating on social networks and probably shot just before, shows a policeman hitting the young man who is already on the ground with a bloody face.

In the afternoon, several other videos denouncing the police violence were shared on social networks.

This week, Emmanuel Macron asked the Interior to quickly make "proposals to improve the ethics" of the police accused of violence, after Christophe Castaner called them to "exemplary", pointing the police under pressure after months of protests.

- "We don't let go" -

"I am a mom, I don't want to leave a world like this to my children. I can no longer afford to take care of my patients in a mental hospital. We are asked to be profitable," she said.

And for most of the demonstrators, the person responsible for this sling is the President of the Republic: "We have to stop Macron. He only understands the balance of power, so here we are and we don't let go," said Christophe Rampierre.

For this 62-year-old retiree from the "small territorial public service", yellow vest on his back, "there are lives behind the policies that this gentleman wants to put in place".

"We are suffocating with this government which wants to bring us to our knees," said Annie Moukam, a 58-year-old teacher. "Retirement, out of the question that it affects. We work all our lives to be able to leave with a dignified retirement and that is precisely what he questions," added the protester.

© 2020 AFP