Gilets jaunes: 69,000 reported for Saturday’s Acte 11

The most recent protest comes 10 days after the launch of the national “Grand Débat” by the government.

Official figures from the minister of the Interior counted 69,000 people nationwide, including 4,000 in Paris. This represents a drop in numbers compared to last weekend, which saw around 84,000 protesters, including 7,000 in Paris.

There were four separate marches in Paris, with all having been legally declared ahead of time.

Gilets jaunes “leaders”, Eric Drouet and Priscillia Ludosky - who have recently sought to distance themselves from each other - took part in different marches, with both ending up at Place de la Bastille.

Another leader - and an associate of Mr Drouet - Jérôme Rodrigues, was injured in one eye during a protest, having been hit by a projectile. He posted a photo of his injury, and said: “I’m going to lose my eye, family.”

Police in Paris have confirmed that they are investigating “the circumstances in which this injury happened”.

This week, a march led by Ms Lodosky sought to offer solidarity to “gilets jaunes in far-off territories”. The minister for overseas territories (“des Outre-mer”), Annick Girardin, met several protesters on Saturday, after they gathered outside the ministry.

Tensions erupted this weekend in Evreux (Eure, Normandy), where 1,500 gilets jaunes gathered outside the Hôtel de Ville. Cars were burned and projectiles thrown at police, who retaliated with tear gas.

In Paris, some clashes were reported near Place de la Bastille, with protesters throwing projectiles and ripping down parts of the street furniture, such as fences and paving stones.

Law enforcement officers retaliated with tear gas and a water cannon. By evening, 52 people had been arrested in Paris.

Three people were arrested in Nantes, with local authorities confirming that “there were several projectiles thrown, and even a Molotov cocktail [thrown].”

Another leader of the movement, Maxime Nicolle, was arrested and questioned for over two hours in Bordeaux. Over 200 people gathered in front of the Hôtel de Police in the city in support. Mr Nicolle was later released without charge.

This Saturday also saw the first official “yellow night (nuit jaune)” of the movement, with one of the official marches beginning at 17h and lasting until 22h at Place de la République in Paris.

Suggested by Eric Drouet, the movement aims to help protesters “debate, exchange views, and call for our genuine grievances”, in the face of the Grand Débat, which it called “a masquerade”.

The protest remained peaceful until the evening, but some fires were lit at around 19h, prompting police to respond with tear gas grenades. Yet, at 21h, just 200 protesters reportedly remained on site.