Over 100 police officers injured in France during May Day demonstrations 

French interior minister said several police officers have been injured after clashing with angry protesters across the country.  

Demonstrations across France on Monday, May 1, against the pension reforms by President Emmanuel Macron have resulted in more than 100 police officers being injured across the country.  

This statement was released by Gérald Darmanin, French interior minister, as cited by the BBC, who said the police officers were injured after clashes with angry protestors, demonstrating against the pension reforms.  

Darmanin stated that “such a large number of police wounded was extremely rare”, adding that “291 people had been arrested during the unrest”.  

Hundreds of thousands of people across France took to the streets to take part in the May Day demonstrations. 

Local reports state that most of the demonstrations were peaceful, but violence started after radical groups started throwing petrol bombs and firecrackers.  

Police resorted to using tear gas and water cannon on the protestors, and the exact number of demonstrators injured is unknown.  

As per estimates by the interior ministry, over 782,000 people took part in demonstrations across the country, including 112,000 in Paris.  

However, figures by the CGT union suggest that the number of demonstrators was three times more than the government estimates.  

Darmanin also stated that one police officer in Paris suffered burns to his hands and face, after he was struck by a petrol bomb.