Protesters smashed windows, set parts of the awning on fire, and billowed black smoke from the roof before the fire was extinguished.

A bistro, known locally as one of President Emmanuel Macron’s favourite restaurants, was briefly set alight on Thursday, as protests against the leader’s pension reforms continued in Paris.

Footage shows riot police and demonstrators clashing, with projectiles and flares thrown. Police used tear gas, and an elderly protester was treated for a head injury.

The French Constitutional Council will decide on April 14 whether to annul the legislation, which bypassed a National Assembly vote and includes a rise in the retirement age to 64 by 2030 and an extension to the employment period required to receive a full pension.

The protests, which have taken place across various industries since January, have intensified, drawing concern from the Council of Europe’s human rights commissioner.

Violent demonstrations took place in cities all across the country to oppose the package and the use of the executive powers, with heavy clashes between protesters and police, drawing concerns from the Council of Europe’s human rights commissioner.

Macron is currently in China for talks with President Xi Jinping and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.