Updated May 02, 2018 06:13:19

French riot police have used water cannon and teargas on hundreds of hooded protesters who smashed shop windows and hurled petrol bombs at the start of an annual May Day rally in Paris.

Police had warned of possible clashes with far-left anarchist groups, known as Black Blocs, after a call on social media to make Tuesday a "revolutionary day".

Authorities said some 1,200 hooded and masked protesters dressed in black had turned up on the sidelines of the annual planned demonstration by labour unions.

More than 200 people were arrested, the head of Paris' police department, Michel Delpuech, told a news conference.

The protesters smashed the windows of businesses, including a Renault garage and McDonalds restaurant near the Austerlitz station in eastern Paris.

They also ransacked shops, torched cars and scrawled anti-capitalist graffiti on walls.

Photo: McDonald's was among a number of businesses attacked by protesters in Paris. (AP: Francois Mori)

Interior Minister Gerard Collomb condemned the violence and said everything was being done to arrest the culprits.

Government spokesman Benjamin Griveaux criticised the protesters for covering up their faces.

"When you have sincere convictions, you demonstrate with your face unmasked," he said.

"Those who wear hoods are the enemies of democracy."

The protesters chanted anti-fascist slogans, waved Soviet flags and anti-government banners and threw firecrackers. Some started to erect barricades.

Macron in battle with unions

Photo: Thousands of people took to the streets of Paris for May Day rallies. (Reuters: Christian Hartmann)

President Emmanuel Macron, elected last May on a promise to shake up France's economy and spur jobs growth, is locked in a battle with the trade unions over his plans to liberalise labour regulations.

Railway staff have begun three months of nationwide rolling strikes in a dispute over the Government's planned overhaul of state-run railway SNCF.

Discontent with Mr Macron's economic policies has spread beyond the railways and the May Day protests were intended to send a message of defiance to the former investment banker, who is currently on a trip to Australia.

Earlier on Tuesday Mr Macron reiterated that he would not back down on his reform agenda.

Labour unions put the number of peaceful protesters at Tuesday's main May Day rally at about 55,000, though police put it a just 20,000.

The numbers were relatively small compared to other recent demonstrations.

Reuters

Topics: activism-and-lobbying, unions, forms-of-government, government-and-politics, france

First posted May 02, 2018 04:55:26