France will increase police numbers for the next round of protests over economic reforms after violent clashes marred the annual May Day rally in Paris, Interior Minister Gerard Collomb said on Wednesday, as police announced that 109 people were in custody.
Further demonstrations are planned later this week, in protest against economic reform plans by French President Emmanuel Macron.
"There will be an even greater number of security forces … who will aim to separate those who wish to demonstrate from those who wish to vandalize," Collomb told France 2 television on Wednesday.
Shouting "Rise up, Paris" and "Everyone hates the police", hooded youths had torched a McDonald's restaurant and several vehicles after joining the traditional May 1 union-led demonstration for workers' rights.
Macron, on a visit to Sydney, deplored the violence.
"May 1 is Workers' Day, not the day of the hooligans," he told a press conference.
"I can only condemn again what has happened, with the greatest firmness," he said.
Collomb defended how the police had handled the demonstration on Tuesday, although opposition politicians criticized the government for not having done enough to prevent the violence.
