Thousands took to the streets to protest police brutality and a security bill that would limit the ability to photograph and videotape police officers while they are on duty, as well as provide law enforcement with more surveillance tools.
Flames and thick black smoke filled major streets in the French capital on Saturday as youths wearing black masks and balaclavas threw missiles including Molotov Cocktails at the police.
By early evening there had been 22 arrests of ‘very violent suspects’ in the area around Avenue Gambetta, said a local police spokesman, who said highly organised rioters had put numerous shop windows in.
The new legislation would have created a new criminal offence for publishing images of police officers with intent to cause them harm but President Emmanuel Macron's administration has since pledged to rewrite it following riots across the country.
Despite the rewrite concession, opponents have pledged to continue to protest until it is removed completely.
Things also turned violent in the western city of Nantes where two officers were injured, one reportedly by a molotov cocktail thrown by a protester.