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French minister vows to stop protest violence

Xinhua, May 15, 2016 Adjust font size:

French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve on Sunday expressed full determination to stop escalating violence that tainted several protests against labor reform.

"If the right to protest is sacred, there is no right to wreak havoc. The security forces are exposed to groups of extreme violence that are not there to express their demands, but who are there to wreak havoc, destroy, and express hatred towards the state and its institutions," Cazeneuve said.

"This is intolerable and it will not be tolerated," he stressed during a visit to Rennes, western France where several violent incidents overshadowed protests against labor reform over the weekend.

Since the nationwide rallies against labor reform began three months ago,1,300 people have been arrested, with 819 placed into custody and 51 convicted on charges of violent acts, according to Cazeneuve.

New clashes were reported in Rennes on Friday after a group of 300 people destroyed public buildings and shop fronts in response to riot police operation to clear up a city hall building occupied by opponents of labor reform since May 1.

Defying authorities' order to ban protests in the western city, hundreds of people marched through Rennes streets to denounce police violence. After a short stand-off, police fired tear gas to disperse the crowd.

Further demonstrations against the government's proposal to loosen labor rules are scheduled for May 17 and 19. Endit