Anti-government protestors clashed with police Saturday on the Champs-Elysees in Paris in yet another round of protests against French President Emmanual Macron.
Police fired tear gas and used water cannons on the famed avenue to force protestors away from the presidential offices in the Elysees Palace.
Thousands gathered in the French capital and elsewhere in France, staging roadblocks and setting fires to express anger against rising fuel taxes.
At least eight people, including two police officers, were injured Saturday, authorities said.
Two people have been killed since the protest movement was launched a week ago, when nearly 250,000 protestors wearing yellow vests, many from rural overlooked areas, blocked roads across the country.
Police said dozens of protestors were arrested in Paris Saturday for "throwing projectiles" and committing other violent acts.
"It's going to trigger a civil war and me, like most other citizens, we're all ready," said 21-year-old Benjamin Vrignaud.
The citizen-driven movement is one of the most serious challenges to date for Macron and his pro-business government, as the protests are also an expression of citizen discontent with the country's high tax rate.
Authorities said 5,000 protestors converged Saturday on the Champs-Elysees, with a total of more than 80,000 nationwide.
Interior Minister Christophe Castaner blamed the unrest on far-right "rebellious" agitators. He tried to downplay Saturday's demonstrations, noting there were fewer protestors compared to last week.
