French "yellow vests" demonstrators on Saturday staged their 20th week of anti-government protests despite bans in hotspot areas, as banks called for an end to violence against branches, cash machines and personnel. Police had struggled two weeks earlier to contain violence by highly-organised demonstrators who smashed shop windows and set fire to newspaper kiosks and a bank in the capital.
Local authorities on Saturday declared iconic sites such as the Champs Elysees avenue in Paris and the centre of Bordeaux, in southwestern France, off limits to demonstrations. The presidential Elysee palace and the National Assembly were also cordoned off by police.
President Emmanuel Macron has reacted to the Saturday protests, which began last November, by embarking on a cross-country tour as part of a "Great National Debate" aimed at encouraging disgruntled citizens to express themselves through a structured dialogue. The protests began in rural France on November 17 over fuel tax increases and quickly ballooned into a full-scale anti-government rebellion.
In recent weeks, the protesters' numbers have dwindled but those still on the streets appear more determined. Initial reports at midday Saturday said that around 300 demonstrators had gathered at the Paris Gare de l'Est train station and the Paris prefecture said two demonstrations and four gatherings had been organised, with one march to end near the Eiffel Tower.
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