France has already seen four weekends of unrest after thousands took to the streets in Paris to protest high fuel prices. As demonstrations turned violent, the protestors smashed store windows and set cars on fire, prompting police to use tear gas and water cannons.
France is bracing for unrest as the Yellow Vests have been holding a rally— called Acte 5: Macron Démission (Act 5: Macron's Resignation) — for the fifth weekend, with 70,000 police officers being mobilised ahead of the demonstrations.
France has seen a wave of mass protests since mid-November, when the so-called Yellow Vest protesters — named after the obligatory attribute of French drivers — took to the streets to rally against rising fuel prices and a planned hike in tax on diesel and carbon fuels.
The rallies have been marked by violent clashes with police officers, who have used tear gas and rubber bullets against the protesters.
The French government has scrapped its planned hike in diesel taxes that sparked the protests, but the Yellow Vests have since morphed into a broader movement against government policies and rising living costs.