Rioting broke out on French housing estates as tensions escalated over the coronavirus lockdown. Tear gas and baton charges were first used by police in the northern Paris suburb of Villeneuve-la-Garenne in the early hours of Monday.
As the violence spread to nearby towns, squads of Republican Security Company (CRS) police were drafted in to deal with gangs of youths.
Videos of the trouble posted by the French journalist Taha Bouhafs, who is from an Algerian background, includes one of him being manhandled by police – leading to allegations of racism.
Mr Bouhaf’s earlier images show tear gas canisters being fired by the police, who were hit my numerous fireworks. The early morning violence followed prosecutors opening an enquiry after a