Fires and clashes rock France amid massive nationwide protests

Police and protesters clashed violently in Paris and other French cities Saturday on the sidelines of nationwide marches against soaring inflation, with one demonstrator's hand blown off, multiple blazes set and looters breaking into dozens of stores to strip them bare. The widespread unrest follows weeks of student protests and deepens political uncertainty in France as it readies for elections in six months' time to replace President Emmanuel Macron. An Apple store in Lille was among dozens of shops looted in France © Sameer Al-Doumy, AFP Macron and his government were criticised by many of the demonstrators, who numbered 500,000 across the country, according to the CGT union. Authorities did not immediately give their estimate of numbers. Police used tear gas and water cannon against masked protesters in Paris and other cities who were throwing projectiles and aiming fireworks. Several parked cars were torched in the capital, and more than 130 arrests made. Read more'Finish what we started': After student protests, France braces for return of the Yellow Vests In the southern city of Saint-Etienne, a male protester had his hand blown off by a police crowd-control grenade, a polic...