French government considers state of emergency over ‘gilets jaunes’ protests

France will consider imposing a state of emergency to prevent a recurrence of some of the worst civil unrest in more than a decade, a government spokesman said on Sunday, as peaceful protestors were urged to come to the negotiating table.

At least 133 people have been injured, including 23 police officers. French authorities have drafted thousands of extra police officers into Paris.

The Guardian reports that “The morning after groups of young men wearing masks rioted on the streets of central Paris, Benjamin Griveaux told Europe 1 radio: “We have to think about the measures that can be taken so that these incidents don’t happen again.”

France24 reports “According to figures released by French interior ministry, around 75,000 demonstrators took to the streets across France today in the anti-Macron protests. Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said earlier on Saturday that “1,500 troublemakers” were around the Champs-Elysées avenue, outside a perimeter secured by police, who said that 378 people were arrested in Paris.”

When asked about imposing a state of emergency, Griveaux said the president, prime minister and interior minister would discuss all options available to them at a meeting on Sunday. The French president, Emmanuel Macron, has insisted he will “never accept violence” after central Paris saw its worst unrest in a decade on Saturday when thousands of masked protesters fought running battles with police, torched cars, set fires to banks and houses, and burned makeshift barricades on the edges of demonstrations against fuel tax.