French PM says 8,000 police to be deployed in Paris for Saturday protests

PARIS: French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe Thursday said that around 8,000 police will be deployed in Paris as part of "exceptional" measures to contain the risk of violence  during  planned anti-government protests  on Saturday.

Earlier, the government had deployed around 5,000 security personnel during the violent demonstrations which rocked the capital last weekend.

Across the country 89,000 police will be mobilised compared with 65,000 last weekend, and a dozen armoured vehicles will be brought into the capital, French PM said.

Thousands of police were deployed nationwide to contain the violent protests in Paris on Saturday, as thousands gathered in the capital and beyond and staged road blockades to vent anger against rising fuel taxes.  French police fired tear gas and water cannons to disperse the  demonstrators.