US Capitol police officer dies of injuries in riot by Trump supporters

US Capitol police officer Brian Sicknick has died of injuries suffered during a riot led by supporters of President Donald Trump, the force said in a statement late on Thursday.

Wednesday's breach of the building was a stunning assault on American democracy at a time when Congress was certifying the victory of President-elect Joe Biden.

"Officer Sicknick was responding to the riots...and was injured while physically engaging with protesters," police said in a statement.

He succumbed on Thursday after being taken to hospital following his collapse upon returning to his divisional office, they added.

Metropolitan homicide officials will investigate the death of Sicknick, who joined the US Capitol Police in 2008, along with the USCP and its federal partners, police said.

Trump condemned the violence, saying rioters had defiled the seat of American democracy and must be held accountable. Critics and some world leaders have said he is to blame for the attack by his supporters on the US capitol. He had been claiming election fraud without proof. 

Among the four more killed were a woman demonstrator shot by authorities.

-reuters-

Hong Kong set to discuss emergency laws as further protests planned

HONG KONG - Hong Kong's government is expected to discuss sweeping emergency laws on Friday that would include banning face masks at protests, two sources told Reuters, an unprecedented move to ease months of violent unrest in the Chinese-ruled city.

Demonstrations are planned on Friday against any potential anti-mask law, with multiple protests also expected over the weekend as activists denounce the police shooting of a teenage secondary school student on Tuesday.

Police said the officer involved in the shooting acted in self-defense because his life was under threat. The teenager, the first protester hit by live fire during months of unrest, is in hospital in a stable condition.

Invoking emergency law would allow Beijing-backed Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam to make any regulations she considers in the public interest, including censorship of the media and control of transport.

The government's move comes after activists rampaged across the former British colony in recent months, setting fires, blocking roads and vandalizing shops and metro stations.

Growing opposition to the Hong Kong government has plunged the financial hub into its biggest political crisis in decades and poses the gravest popular challenge to Chinese President Xi Jinping since he came to power in 2012.

Riot police moved in to districts across Hong Kong overnight, firing tear gas at a chanting crowd in a residential area, while rail operator MTR Corp shut several stations as violence escalated.

All stations were operating normally on Friday morning.

Any implementation of emergency law could further antagonize demonstrators already angry at what they perceive as creeping interference by Beijing in their city's affairs despite a promise of autonomy in the "one country, two systems" formula under which Hong Kong returned to China in 1997.

China dismisses accusations it is meddling and has accused foreign governments, including the United States and Britain, of stirring up anti-China sentiment.

Police, who have responded to petrol bomb-throwing protesters with tear gas, water cannon and, on Tuesday, live ammunition, had urged the government to impose curfews to help maintain public order.

The government declined to comment on whether it was considering imposing emergency laws, stating they would study existing legislation to cope with the protests.

Authorities have already loosened guidelines on the use of force by police, according to documents seen by Reuters.

Black-clad protesters, who typically wear masks to shield their appearance, have targeted police, who in turn have been accused of excessive force and heavy-handed tactics. Police say they have shown restraint in the face of increased violence.

Pro-Beijing groups have also been pushing for legislation to ban face masks at public demonstrations.

The protests began over a now-withdrawn extradition bill, which would have allowed people to be sent to mainland China for trial, and have intensified markedly since June. They have also evolved into wider calls for democracy, among other demands.

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Hong Kong flash-mob rallies erupt as anger mounts over shot protester

HONG KONG, China- Flash-mob rallies broke out in Hong Kong on Wednesday as anger mounted over the police shooting of a teenage protester who attacked officers in a dramatic escalation of the violent unrest that has engulfed the territory for months.

A large crowd of demonstrators, including office workers in shirts and suits, mustered in a park and then began marching through the city's commercial district in an unsanctioned rally, chanting anti-police and anti-government slogans.

Hundreds of students also staged a sit-in at the school of 18-year-old Tsang Chi-kin, who was shot in the chest by a police officer as he and a group of masked protesters attacked officers with umbrellas and poles. He survived the shooting. 

The international finance hub has been left reeling from the shooting, the first time a demonstrator has been struck with a live round in nearly four months of increasingly violent pro-democracy protests.

Tuesday witnessed the worst clashes of the summer as China celebrated 70 years of Communist Party rule with a massive military parade in Beijing.

The spiraling violence underscored seething public anger against Beijing's rule and shifted the spotlight from China's carefully choreographed birthday party.

Running battles raged for hours across multiple locations as hardcore protesters hurled rocks and petrol bombs. Police responded for the most part with tear gas, rubber bullets, and water cannon.

As criticism rose the police launched a spirited defense of their colleague at a press conference on Wednesday saying he feared for his life and the safety of his colleagues.

"He only had one option, that is to fire the gun to immediately resolve the danger," deputy commissioner Mr. Tang Ping-keung told reporters. 

But protest groups said the officer charged into the melee with his firearm drawn and failed to fire a warning shot as they condemned the increasing use of live rounds.

"The people of Hong Kong are sick and tired of having mere words of condemnation as their only shields against lethal bullets and rifles," a masked protester said at a press conference near Tsang's school.

RECORD ARRESTS AND TEAR GAS

The shooting was captured on video that quickly went viral.

Opinion towards the shooting has largely cemented along ideological divides with pro-democracy activists condemning the police and establishment figures calling it a justified use of force.

Tsang, who was filmed trying to strike the officer with a pole as he was shot, was taken to a nearby hospital in critical condition but authorities said his condition had since improved.

A friend and classmate of Tsang, who gave his first name Marco, said the 18-year-old is a keen basketballer who was infuriated by sliding freedoms in Hong Kong and the police response to the protests.

"If he sees any problems or anything unjust, he would face it bravely, speak up against it, instead of bearing it silently," Marco told AFP.

Police said 30 officers were injured in the National Day clashes, including some who suffered chemical burns from a corrosive liquid that was thrown at them by protesters. The liquid also wounded some journalists.

Hospital authorities said more than 70 people were admitted on Tuesday. 

Outlining the sheer extent of Tuesday's clashes, police revealed that they arrested 269 people, ranging from 12 to 71 years old -- the largest daily toll since protests began.

They also unleashed a record 1,400 rounds of tear gas, 900 rubber bullets, 230 sponge rounds, 190 bean bag rounds and five live rounds as warning shots.

To compare, police fired 1,000 tear gas canisters in the first two months of the protests.

Hong Kong's courts are rapidly filling up. 

On Wednesday, 96 protesters arrested on Sunday appeared in court charged with rioting. 

Ages ranged from 14 to 39 and while the majority were students in their twenties, other occupations listed included a waitress, a teacher, a doctor, an advertising executive, and a cook.

The protests were ignited by a now-scrapped plan to allow extraditions to the mainland.

But after Beijing and local leaders took a hard line they snowballed into a wider movement calling for democratic freedoms and police accountability.

With Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam seemingly unwilling or unable to find a political solution, police have been left to battle increasingly radicalized protesters.

Sentiment is hardening on all sides.

Protesters and some local residents routinely shout "triads" at officers who often respond by calling demonstrators "cockroaches."

The protest movement's main demands are an independent inquiry into police actions, an amnesty for those arrested and universal suffrage.

But Beijing and Lam have said they are unwilling to meet those demands.

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Hong Kong protesters seize roads in defiance of China warnings

Pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong erected barricades in a popular tourist district and briefly blocked a major tunnel Saturday evening, defying increasingly stern warnings from China over weeks-long unrest that has plunged the city into crisis.

The semi-autonomous southern Chinese financial hub has seen two months of protests and clashes triggered by opposition to a planned extradition law that quickly evolved into a wider movement for democratic reforms.

Authorities in Hong Kong and Beijing this week signaled a hardening stance, including with the arrests of dozens of protesters, and the Chinese military saying it was ready to quell the "intolerable" unrest if requested.

But protesters have remained unyielding, vowing to hold multiple occupations and rallies into next week, sending tensions soaring once more.

On Saturday they embraced their mantra "be water" -- a philosophy of unpredictability espoused by local martial arts legend Bruce Lee -- in a bid to keep police guessing.

Throughout the evening they put up makeshift barricades across multiple roads in Tsim Sha Tsui, a popular shopping and tourist district on the harbor front, where many luxury malls and hotels shut their doors.

They also blocked one of the three cross-harbor tunnels connecting to the main island, causing widespread traffic chaos, before disappearing after half an hour.

"We will fight as guerrillas today and be water," a masked and helmeted 19-year-old, who gave her surname Lee, told AFP.

In a statement, police called on protesters to "stop their illegal acts" and told members of the public to avoid the area.


- City-wide strike -

Many of the chants and graffiti tags that were thrown up called for residents to join a planned strike on Monday.

"The more the government suppresses us, the more we will come out until the government responds to our demands," protester Ah Kit, 36, told AFP.

Two marches are also planned for Sunday -- one on Hong Kong island and the other in the Tseung Kwan O district -- as well as a city-wide strike on Monday and rallies in seven locations.

The call for strike action appears to be gaining more traction than previous walkouts, with a host of organisations and unions vowing to join.

Hong Kong has witnessed eight consecutive weekends of huge rallies -- often followed by violent clashes between police and small groups of hardcore protesters.

Under the terms of the 1997 handover deal with Britain, the city has rights and liberties unseen on the Chinese mainland, including an independent judiciary and freedom of speech.

But many say those rights are being curtailed, citing the disappearance into mainland custody of dissident booksellers, the disqualification of prominent politicians and the jailing of pro-democracy protest leaders.

Public anger has been compounded by rising inequality and the perception that the city's distinct language and culture are being threatened by ever-closer integration with the Chinese mainland.

On Saturday evening, protesters tore down the Chinese flag from a pole on the waterfront and threw it in the harbor.

- Violence escalating -

The past two weekends have seen a surge in violence used by both protesters and police, who have repeatedly fired rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse projectile-throwing crowds.

A mob of pro-government thugs also attacked demonstrators, putting 45 people in hospital.

Hong Kong's police have increasingly adopted tougher tactics, including this week charging 44 protesters with rioting -- an offence that carries up to 10 years in jail.

Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam has made few concessions beyond agreeing to suspend the extradition bill and shied away from public appearances.

Protesters are demanding her resignation, an independent inquiry into police tactics, an amnesty for those arrested, a permanent withdrawal of the bill, and the right to elect their leaders.

Thousands of pro-government supporters also held a rally in a separate park on Saturday, many waving Chinese flags and chanting slogans in support of the police -- who have refuted allegations of using excessive force.

Beijing has increasingly pitched the anti-government protests as funded by the West.

China has provided little evidence beyond supportive statements from some Western politicians and critics say Beijing's accusations of foreign meddling ignore Hong Kongers' legitimate grievances.

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Clashes in Hong Kong after police charge protesters with rioting

HONG KONG, China—Renewed clashes broke out between pro-democracy protesters and police in Hong Kong on Tuesday night after dozens of demonstrators were charged with rioting—an offense that carries a jail term of up to 10 years.

The city is reeling from 7 weeks of mass protest rallies—some of which have ended in violence—triggered by a controversial bill that would have allowed extraditions to mainland China.

They have evolved into calls for wider democratic reforms and a halt to sliding freedoms in the most significant challenge to Beijing's rule since the city's 1997 handover.

In the latest flashpoint, police used pepper spray and batons on Tuesday night against protesters who had gathered outside a police station in Kwai Chung district, an AFP reporter on scene said. 

Hundreds were protesting after police announced 44 people arrested in clashes on Sunday had been charged with rioting.

Protesters responded to the police charge by throwing plastic bottles and umbrellas. 

In footage broadcast live on Now TV, an officer could be seen aiming a shotgun at protesters throwing objects at him in a nearby bus station until he and his colleagues beat a hasty retreat. 

SURGE IN VIOLENCE

The last 2 weekends have seen a dramatic surge in the level of violence used by both protesters and police who have repeatedly fired rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse projectile-throwing crowds. 

A mob of pro-government thugs also attacked protesters putting 45 people in hospital. 

Tuesday night's violence was brief and less pronounced in comparison but tensions remained high with the police charge having little effect in dispersing the crowds. 

Before the clashes broke out, the crowds were chanting democracy slogans and spraying graffiti on the building's walls. The police station had metal shutters pulled down over the door and all public-facing windows. 

Rioting is one of the most serious public order offenses on Hong Kong's statute books and carries a sentence of up to a decade in jail. 

Edward Leung, a prominent activist, was jailed for 6 years last year after he was found guilty of rioting in clashes with police in 2016.

BEIJING WARNING

The move to charge the 44 protesters came a day after Beijing publicly threw its weight behind Hong Kong's unelected leader Carrie Lam and the police, saying violent protesters must be swiftly punished.

"No civilized society or rule of law society will tolerate rampant violence," Yang Guang, spokesman for the cabinet-level Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, told reporters in a highly unusual public press conference. 

Yang blamed the violence on a "few radicals" and said it "bumped into the bottom line" of the "one country, two systems" principle that governs the financial hub.

He also accused Western politicians of making "irresponsible remarks" to "mess up Hong Kong" and contain China's development.

Beijing has issued increasingly shrill condemnations of the protests, but has left it to the city's government to deal with the situation.

FEW COMPROMISES

Lam has shown no sign of backing down beyond agreeing to suspend the extradition bill and has made few public appearances.

Police have not released a detailed breakdown of arrests and charges since the protests began but an AFP tally of public statements shows at least 170 people have been arrested since 9 June. 

Protesters have vowed to keep their campaign going until their core demands are met. 

They include the resignation of Lam, an independent inquiry into police tactics, an amnesty for those arrested, a permanent withdrawal of the bill and the right to elect their leaders.

On Tuesday morning, activists held up trains on the city's subway system during the morning rush hour, leading to lengthy delays and long queues for buses. 

It was not the first time they have used those tactics, but the disruption was more widespread than previously. 

Under the 1997 handover deal with Britain, China promised to allow Hong Kong to keep key liberties such as its independent judiciary and freedom of speech.

But many say those provisions are already being curtailed, citing the disappearance into mainland custody of dissident booksellers, the disqualification of prominent politicians and the jailing of pro-democracy protest leaders.

Public anger has been compounded by rising inequality, the high costs of living and the perception that the city's distinct language and culture are being threatened by ever closer integration with the Chinese mainland. 

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Riot in Indonesia

Fire crackers explode near supporters of presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto during clashes with the police in Jakarta, Indonesia, Wednesday evening. Indonesian President Joko Widodo said authorities have the volatile situation in the country's capital under control after six people died Wednesday in riots by supporters of his losing rival in last month's presidential election. 

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Tension palpable as thousands hit Paris for May 1 rallies

Paris riot police fired teargas as they squared off against hard-line demonstrators among tens of thousands of May Day protesters, who flooded the city Wednesday in a test for France's zero-tolerance policy on street violence. 

Tensions were palpable as a heady mix of labor unionists, "yellow vest" demonstrators and anti-capitalists gathered in the French capital, putting security forces on high alert. 

Ahead of the main march, the city was on lockdown with more than 7,400 police and gendarmes deployed with orders from President Emmanuel Macron to take an "extremely firm stance" if faced with violence. 

Clashes briefly erupted on Montparnasse Boulevard, where hundreds of anti-capitalist "black bloc" activists pushed to the front of the gathering crowd, hurling bottles and other projectiles at police, who fired tear gas and stingball grenades, an AFP correspondent said.

Used at ground level, the grenades release scores of rubber pellets that cause an intense stinging to the legs. 

Authorities had warned this year's marches would likely spell trouble, coming barely a week after leaders of the yellow vest anti-government movement angrily dismissed a package of tax cuts by Macron.

And with some agitators vowing on social media to turn Paris into "the capital of rioting", the government moved to deploy security on an "exceptional scale" throughout the capital.

Last year, officials were caught off guard by some 1,200 troublemakers who ran amok in Paris, vandalizing businesses and clashing with police.

By early afternoon, thousands had flocked to the Montparnasse area, many wearing the hi-visibility jackets that gave the name to the yellow vest protesters.

Since November, the city has struggled to cope with the weekly yellow vest protests, which have often descended into chaos with a violent minority smashing up and torching shops, restaurants and newspaper stands.

Across the city on Wednesday, streets were barricaded and shops had boarded up their windows, with police ordering the closure of all businesses along the route of the main march. 

"We are not afraid of the union marches but of the black blocs," local restaurant owner Serge Tafanel told AFP. 

- 'Capital of rioting' -

Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said several groups on social media had urged protesters to transform Paris into "the capital of rioting", with police gearing up for the arrival of up to 2,000 activists bristling for a fight.

Many are anti-capitalist youths, often known as black blocs, who dress in black and wear face masks.

Nearly 200 motorcycle units have been deployed across the capital to respond quickly to flare-ups of violence, and drones are being used to track protesters' movements.

Castaner said police would carry out preemptive searches of anyone planning to march, a new tactic allowed under a security law passed recently in response to the yellow vest violence.

From the early hours of Wednesday, several dozen police officers could be seen at the city's main train stations, carrying out bag random searches, AFP journalists said.

By midday, police said 88 people had been detained for questioning. 

- Sidelined, unions seek visibility -

Last Thursday, in a major policy speech aimed at calming the yellow vest anger, Macron promised a string of reforms including tax cuts worth 5 billion euros ($5.5 billion).

The yellow vests rejected it as too little, too late, pledging to keep up the protests, which began last year over rising taxes on fuel and pensions but have since morphed into a wider movement. 

Although the numbers have steadily fallen, the rallies have remained in the headlines, largely over disorder by a handful of violent protesters along the Champs-Elysees.

Following a particularly violent demo in March, the government adopted a "zero-tolerance" approach, passing an "anti-rioter" bill which included making it a criminal offense to wear a mask at a protest. 

France's powerful labor unions are also hoping to use the traditional May Day march for workers' rights to raise their profile after finding themselves sidelined for months by the grass-roots yellow vest movement. 

Like the yellow vests, the unions were also disappointed by Macron's speech. 

"We must be careful not to lose the meaning of this day," warned Philippe Martinez, secretary general of the CGT, one of France's biggest unions. 

"It is a day of mobilization which deserves our full attention after Emmanuel Macron's announcement in which he said: 'I hear you and I'm not changing anything'."

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Journalist shot dead in Northern Ireland in ‘terrorist incident’

DERRY, United Kingdom  - A journalist was shot dead during riots in Northern Ireland in what police Friday were treating as a terrorist incident following the latest upsurge in violence to shake the troubled region.

"Lyra McKee was murdered during orchestrated violence in Creggan last night," Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said in a statement.

McKee, 29, had earlier posted an image that appeared to be from the riots in the Creggan housing estate in the city of Londonderry, also known as Derry, accompanied by the words "Derry tonight. Absolute madness."

Images of the unrest posted on social media showed a car and van ablaze and hooded individuals throwing petrol bombs and fireworks at police vehicles.

"A single gunman fired shots in a residential area of the city and as a result wounded Ms McKee," said Hamilton, adding that police believed the gunman was a "violent dissident republican".

"We are treating this as a terrorist incident and we have launched a murder inquiry," he added.

McKee had written for The Atlantic magazine and Buzzfeed News and was named by Forbes Magazine in 2016 as one of their "30 under 30" outstanding figures in media, according to her literary agent Janklow & Nesbit.

Leona O'Neill, a reporter with the Belfast Telegraph, said she saw McKee get hurt.

"I was standing beside this young woman when she fell beside a police Land Rover tonight in Creggan #Derry. I called an ambulance for her but police put her in the back of their vehicle and rushed her to hospital where she died. Just 29 years old. Sick to my stomach tonight," she tweeted.

'TRULY SENSELESS'

Thursday's unrest raised memories of past decades of violence in Northern Ireland.

Ireland's Prime Minister Leo Varadkar warned that "we cannot allow those who want to propagate violence, fear and hate to drag us back to the past".

His British counterpart Theresa May said the killing was "shocking and truly senseless".

In Brussels, a European Commission spokesman condemned the "terrible incident".

"We condemn such violence, and we are confident that the UK authorities will ascertain the exact circumstances of this tragic event," he said.

Visiting US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi joined in a minute's silence for McKee, saying it was "especially poignant", being held on Good Friday.

The violence came in the run-up to the Easter weekend, when Republicans opposed to the British presence in Northern Ireland mark the anniversary of a 1916 uprising against British rule.

A car-bombing and the hijacking of two vans in Londonderry earlier this year were also blamed on a dissident paramilitary group.

Michelle O'Neill, the deputy leader of Irish republican party Sinn Fein, condemned the killing.

"My heart goes out to the family of the young woman shot dead by so-called dissidents," she wrote on Twitter.

"This was an attack on the community, an attack on the peace process and an attack on the Good Friday Agreement," the peace deal that largely brought an end to violence on the island exactly 21 years ago, she added, calling for calm.

Arlene Foster, leader of the Democratic Union Party, which is in favor of Britain's presence in Northern Ireland, described the death as "heartbreaking news".

"A senseless act. A family has been torn apart. Those who brought guns onto our streets in the 70s, 80s & 90s were wrong. It is equally wrong in 2019. No one wants to go back," she wrote on Twitter.

HISTORY OF TROUBLES

The Good Friday Agreement in 1998 largely brought an end to three decades of sectarian bloodshed in Northern Ireland between republican and unionist paramilitaries, as well as British armed forces, in a period known as "the Troubles".

Some 3,500 people were killed in the conflict -- many at the hands of the Irish Republican Army (IRA).

Police have blamed a group called the New IRA for the flare-up in violence in recent months.

Some have expressed fears that recent attacks could be a sign that paramilitaries are seeking to exploit the current political turbulence over Northern Ireland and its border with the Republic of Ireland caused by Brexit.

Londonderry was the scene of one of the darkest episodes in the Troubles in 1972, known as Bloody Sunday, when British troops opened fire on a civil rights demonstration and killed 13 people. A 14th victim later died of his wounds.

A former British soldier was charged with murder last month over the killings.

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Paris luxury stores looted, burned in 'yellow vest' riots

PARIS -- Rioters looted and torched shops and businesses on the famed Champs-Elysees avenue in Paris on Saturday, on the 18th weekend of French "yellow vest" protests, characterized by a sharp increase in violence after weeks of dwindling turnout.

President Emmanuel Macron cut short a skiing trip in the Pyrenees to return to Paris for a crisis meeting, as hooded protesters went on the rampage in Paris, leaving a trail of destruction in the touristic heart of the city.

He vowed to take "strong decisions" to prevent further violence, following the emergency talks held at the interior ministry late Saturday.

"There are people today who try by all means... to damage the Republic by breaking, by destroying things at the risk of killing someone," Macron said.

"All those who were there were complicit in" the havoc spread across the Champs-Elysees, he added.

The police appeared overrun as protesters swarmed the Champs-Elysees, vandalizing and later setting fire to Fouquet's brasserie, a favorite hangout of the rich and famous for the past century -- as well as luxury handbag store Longchamp, a bank, another restaurant and several news stands.

The rioters also looted several clothing stores and set fire to barricades in scenes reminiscent of the worst yellow-vest riots in Paris in December.

"Like the vast majority of French people, I feel very angry today," tweeted French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, who visited the scene. 

"Today's actions are not the work of protesters, but of looters, arsonists and criminals. No cause justifies this violence," he added.

In a statement, the national police denounced the "mindless violence, cowardly attacks" and stressed their determination to guarantee public order against "provocateurs and vandals".

BANK BLAZE 

Saturday's turnout was seen a test of the ongoing strength of the movement, which began in November over fuel tax hikes and quickly ballooned into a rebellion against Macron's policies, seen by the protesters as geared towards the rich.

In recent weeks, the protests have dwindled in size. But the interior ministry estimated the turnout in Paris Saturday at 10,000, out of around 32,300 nationwide.

That is a fraction of the 282,000 people they said took part in the inaugural demonstrations across France on November 17, but more than the previous weekend. 

Saturday's protests were markedly more violent than in recent weeks. Police said close to 240 people were arrested, while prosecutors said more than 100 had been taken into custody.

The bank set alight was on the ground floor of an apartment building, and fire firefighters had to quickly evacuate the residents, including a 9-month-old baby.

Eleven people suffered minor injuries in the bank blaze, the fire service told AFP.

The violence left 17 members of the police injured, and 42 protesters, said police.

'ULTRA-VIOLENT' MINORITY

The rally coincides with the end of the public debates called by the president to try take the heat out of the protests and give voters a forum to propose policy changes.

Around half a million people turned out at town hall-style meetings held around the country over the past two months.

But many "yellow vests" dismissed the consultation exercise as a smoke-screen.

On Saturday, the police used tear gas, stun grenades and water cannon to try repel protesters who gathered at the foot of the Arc de Triomphe war memorial, which was sacked by protesters on December 1.

But for 7 hours they continued to be pelted with paving stones by mostly black-clad demonstrators.

"There are a number of people who have come just to smash things," Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said, estimating that some 1,500 "ultra-violent" activists had infiltrated the crowd.

"We have been too nice, that's why it's violent today. I'm not in favour (of violence) but we are ruled by corrupt people who dare to lecture us," Jean-Francois Bernard, a landscape gardener who was among the protesters, told AFP.

The presidency later announced that Macron was returning home from La Mongie ski resort where he and his wife Brigitte arrived Thursday to spend the weekend.

'WE WANT RESULTS' 

Protesters streamed into the capital by train and car for a rally they called an "ultimatum" to the president. Over 5,000 police were deployed, along with several armored police vehicles.

Macron was caught off guard when grassroots protesters began occupying traffic roundabouts in November over fuel taxes. He has loosened the state's purse strings to the tune of 10 billion euros ($11.2 billion) to try defuse the protests.

But the measures failed to quell the anger of the demonstrators, who accuse the former investment banker of being elitist and favoring the rich.

The Paris protest was one of several in the capital on Saturday, where tens of thousands of climate campaigners also held a demonstration to demand that the French government uphold its commitments on reducing emissions.

Yellow vest protests also took place several other French cities. At Bordeaux, in the southwest, police clashed with protesters and a bank was damaged.

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'State of insurrection' as fuel tax riots engulf central Paris

* Yellow vests converge in Paris to protest high living costs

* Militants hurl projectiles at riot police near Champs-Elysees

* Police fire tear gas, stun grenades, water cannon

* Protesters skirmish with police in other French cities

* Officials feared infiltration by far-left, far-right groups

* Macron says understands anger but sticking to reforms (Adds situation calm, prime minister trip cancelled)

PARIS - Rioters ran amok across central Paris on Saturday, torching cars and buildings, looting shops, smashing windows and clashing with police in the worst unrest in more than a decade, posing a dire challenge to Emmanuel Macron's presidency.

The authorities were caught off guard by the escalation in violence after two weeks of nationwide protests against fuel taxes and living costs, known as the "yellow vest" movement after fluorescent jackets kept in all vehicles in France.

In Paris, police said they had arrested almost 300 people while 110 were injured, including 20 members of the security forces. Police fired stun grenades, tear gas and water cannon at protesters at the top of the Champs-Elysees boulevard, at the Tuilleries Garden near the Louvre museum and other sites.

In some areas there was virtually no police presence at all, as groups of masked men roamed in the shadows of the capital's fabled landmarks and through its fanciest shopping districts, smashing the windows of designer boutiques.

Macron, in Argentina for a G20 summit, said he would convene ministers to discuss the crisis upon his return on Sunday. Prime Minister Edouard Philippe cancelled a trip to Poland.

"We are in a state of insurrection, I've never seen anything like it," said Jeanne d'Hauteserre, the mayor of Paris' 8th district, near the Arc de Triomphe.

The popular rebellion erupted out of nowhere on Nov. 17 and has spread quickly via social media, with protesters blocking roads across France and impeding access to shopping malls, factories and some fuel depots.

On Saturday, some targeted the Arc de Triomphe, chanting "Macron Resign" and scrawling on the facade of the towering 19th-century arch: "The yellow vests will triumph."

Addressing a news conference in Buenos Aires, Macron said no cause justified the looting of stores, attacks on the security forces or torching of property. The violence, he said, had nothing to do with the peaceful expression of legitimate grievances.

"I will always respect differences. I will always listen to opposition, but I will never accept violence," Macron said.

Protesters smashed the windows of a newly opened flagship Apple Store and luxury boutiques of Chanel and Dior, where they daubed the slogan "Merry Mayhem" on a wooden board.

Close to the Place Vendome, Christmas trees decorating the streets were upended, piled in the middle of an avenue and set ablaze, prompting chanting from scores of protesters.

Order appeared to have been restored late in the evening, although small groups were still at odds with police near the Champs Elysees.

Authorities said violent far-right and far-left groups had infiltrated the yellow vests movement. Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said most of those arrested were regular protesters who had been egged on by the fringe groups.

The protests began as a backlash against Macron's fuel tax hikes, but have tapped into a vein of deep dissatisfaction felt towards the 40-year-old's economic reforms, which many voters feel favour the wealthy and big business.

Unrest erupted in several towns and cities across France, from Charleville Mezieres in the northeast to Marseille in the south. In the Riviera city of Nice trucks blocked access to the airport, and in the central town of Puy-en-Velay the police headquarters was set on fire.

The protests are taking a toll on the economy. Parts of central Paris that should have been packed with tourists and Christmas shoppers resembled battle zones, as smoke and tear gas hung in the air and debris littered the ground. Hotels and department stores in the capital stand to lose millions, and shelves have run empty in some supermarkets.

MACRON STANDS FIRM

The protests have caught Macron off-guard just as he was trying to counter a fall in his popularity rating to 20 percent. His unyielding response has exposed him to charges of being out of touch with ordinary people, particularly in rural villages and the provincial hinterlands.

Some peaceful protesters held up a slogan reading, "Macron, stop treating us like idiots!"

Macron on Tuesday said he understood the anger of voters outside France's big cities over the squeeze fuel prices have put on households. But he insisted he would not be bounced into changing policy by "thugs".

Despite the unrest that has accompanied the protests, the "yellow vests" have widespread public support, even in cities.

"I am totally behind the 'Gilets Jaunes'," said George DuPont, a resident in Paris' upscale 16th arrondissement. "The state has stolen money from the French people. It's time to give it back."

Assistant teacher Sandrine Lemoussu, 45, who travelled from Burgundy to protest peacefully, said people were fed up with Macron.

"The people are in revolt," she said. "The anger is rising more and more, and the president despises the French. We aren't here to smash things, but the people have had enough."

Many on the outskirts of smaller provincial towns and villages have expressed anger, underlining the gap between metropolitan elites and working class voters that has boosted anti-establishment politics across the Western world.

"Mr Macron wrote a book called Revolution. He was prophetic because it is what he has managed to launch, but not the revolution he sought," Far-left La France Insoumise leader Jean-Luc Melenchon told reporters ahead of a protest in Marseille.

(Reporting by Thierry Chiarello, Antony Paone, Sudip Kar-Gupta, Bate Felix, Luke Baker, Sybille de la Hamaide, John Irish, Celia Mebroukine, Antoine Boddaert, Lucien Libert, Stephane Mahe, Caroline Paillez in Paris, Jean-Francois Rosnoblet in Marseille and Johanna Decorse in Toulouse; Writing by John Irish and Richard Lough; Editing by Mark Heinrich, Hugh Lawson and Peter Graff)

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Clashes kill 32 in India after religious guru convicted of rape

At least 32 people were killed Friday when clashes broke out in northern India after a court convicted a controversial religious leader of raping two of his followers, sparking fury among tens of thousands of supporters who had gathered for the verdict.

Authorities rushed hundreds of troops to the city of Panchkula after followers of guru Ram Rahim Singh torched cars went on a rampage throwing rocks and attacking television vans and setting fire to dozens of private vehicles.

More than 100,000 were estimated to have gone to the city in Haryana state, where India's federal investigations agency had set up a special court to rule on the charge that he had raped two female devotees.

Authorities said 32 people had been killed and around 180 injured after rioting broke out in Haryana, where many areas were now under curfew.

"The situation continues to be grim but we are gaining some ground. Hopefully we will mobilise more forces in the night to take control," a senior state official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

He said the large crowd went berserk soon after the verdict was pronounced and attacked police and set vehicles afire before the police took action.

Most of the fatalities were caused by gunshots, the officer said.

Ram Rahim Singh has a vast following in many states of northern India, including in Haryana, where he runs a spiritual movement that claims to have millions of devotees around the world.

Authorities imposed an indefinite curfew in Panchkula, where mobile internet services had earlier been cut off.

"I don't understand what the government and the police are doing. We have been feeling unsafe since yesterday and all our fears came true today," local resident Sandeep Singh told AFP.

"Why did the police not act swiftly and forcefully against these followers?"

As news of Singh's conviction spread there were reports of violence in several districts of neighbouring Punjab state and on the outskirts of the capital Delhi, which borders Haryana.

Authorities imposed curfew in at least four districts of Punjab to curb spread of violence.

"Two train stations have been burnt in Punjab and two empty (train) coaches have been set on fire in Delhi's Anand Vihar station," said Neeraj Sharma, a spokesman for Indian Railways.

Hundreds of trains passing through Punjab and Haryana have been cancelled, he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned the violence on Twitter, saying "the instances of violence today are deeply distressing".

He said the federal government was monitoring the situation and urged everyone to "maintain peace".

Prosecutor Harinder Pal Singh Verma told AFP the guru was "calm after the verdict was passed" and had been flown by helicopter to another city in Haryana. He will be sentenced on August 28.

- 'Guru in bling' -

The 50-year-old self-styled "godman" is known as the "guru in bling" for his penchant for bejewelled costumes, although the source of his apparently vast wealth is unclear.

The rape case was brought against him after an anonymous letter was sent to then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2002 accusing him of repeatedly raping the sender and several other women in the sect.

A judge asked the Central Bureau of Investigations to look into the accusations, but it took years to trace the alleged victims and it was not until 2007 that two women came forward and filed charges.

India has been rocked by numerous scandals involving popular ascetics claiming to possess mystical powers, and Singh is no stranger to controversy.

In 2015 he was accused of encouraging 400 followers to undergo castration at his ashram so they could get closer to god.

He also stood trial for conspiracy over the murder of a journalist in 2002.

He describes his sect as a social welfare and spiritual organisation.

- Messenger of God -

Speaking before his conviction, supporters who had gathered in Panchkula credited him with turning their lives around, with some saying his organisation had helped them kick an addiction to alcohol.

"I've been part of the Dera movement for two decades and in that time I have not touched a drop," said Gajendere Singh, a recovering alcoholic who said he was aged around 60.

"Before joining, people did not pay me much attention. But after, I had a support network."

Singh's work has angered mainstream religious leaders in India, particularly Sikhs who say he insults and belittles their faith.

There were protests in the Sikh-dominated state of Punjab over Singh's 2015 appearance in a film entitled "MSG: The Messenger of God", which showed him performing miracles, preaching to thousands and beating up gangsters while singing and dancing.

source: news.abs-cbn.com