On the French Mediterranean island of Corsica, riots broke out again on the fringes of a nationalist demonstration.

Protesters threw Molotov cocktails and partially set fire to an administration building, as reported by the French broadcaster “France Bleu” on Sunday evening.

The police used tear gas.

Videos also showed attacks on the prefecture building in Bastia.

According to the newspaper "Corse Matin", several thousand people took part in the protest in the northern Corsican city.

According to the prefecture, there were 7,000 demonstrators, the organizers spoke of 12,000 participants.

That would be almost twice as many as in Corte in the interior of the island last week.

Roads were blocked off for safety reasons.

The prefecture had banned certain fireworks.

There had already been violent riots at demonstrations on the island several times in the past week.

They were triggered by the attack on nationalist Yvan Colonna, who was convicted of murdering then-prefect Erignac in 1998.

A fellow prisoner attacked Colonna in Arles prison in southern France a week and a half ago.

Colonna is now in a coma.

Demonstrators are now accusing France of being complicit in the attack on Colonna.

They are bothered that this was not transferred to Corsica.

France's Prime Minister Jean Castex tried to calm the situation on Friday by announcing that the status of Pierre Alessandri and Alain Ferrandi, two other members of the so-called "Erignac commando" who are still being held on the mainland, would be under "special surveillance". prisoners”.

This marking allowed the French state to place the perpetrators in prisons other than those in Corsica.

Experts see the reason for the violent protests as being that nationalist demands have not been met in recent years and that there is no real dialogue with the government in Paris.

The relationship between Corsica and the government in Paris has long been difficult.

For decades, Corsican separatists fought for more independence, often with violence.

The underground organization FLNC laid down their arms in 2014.

At about the same time, moderate nationalists gained political importance.

They now have the majority in the regional parliament and are demanding autonomy.