French prosecutors have opened an attempted murder investigation after Molotov cocktails were thrown at police during unrest, the BBC writes.
A photograph of a police officer whose leg caught fire during clashes with protesters in Paris on Saturday has sparked a wave of outrage.
The incident comes after weeks of street protests in France, during which demonstrators have also been injured.
The officer, who suffered burns around the ankle and minor injuries to his hand, told the French newspaper Le Figaro that it involved an “extremely sophisticated” incendiary device.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said that throwing a Molotov cocktail at a police cordon is “what I call an attempted murder”, adding that law enforcement officers are working to identify those involved.
- On Saturday, hundreds of thousands of people across France took part in largely peaceful protests. This is the latest stage in a series of demonstrations initiated by young people back in late September. Participants are calling for action on the high cost of living and the poor state of public services, including in the school education system.
- After previous clashes and incidents of looting at the weekend, thousands of police officers were deployed in France; in some cities, officers used tear gas against demonstrators.
- According to the country’s Interior Ministry, more than 770 people were detained on Saturday – about half as many as during the previous week’s protests.