PARIS — Thousands of people wearing yellow vests started marching in the streets of Paris as others were gathering in the central French city of Bourges amid high security measures as authorities feared possible violence between police and protesters Saturday.
In Paris, a few thousand people set off from near the Finance Ministry in eastern Paris at around 11 a.m. (1000 GMT; 5 a.m. EST) and were walking peacefully in the central streets of the capital. They were planning to head toward Champs-Elysees avenue.
Paris police say 24 people were arrested Saturday before the protests started, primarily for carrying potential weapons.
Meanwhile, yellow vest protesters were also gathering in Bourges, a provincial capital with a renowned Gothic cathedral and picturesque wood-framed houses, where online groups mounted calls through the week for actions.
Authorities deployed 80,000 security forces nationwide for a ninth straight weekend of anti-government protests. Interior Minister Christophe Castaner threatened tough retaliation against rioters and their backers, warning of increasing radicalization among the largely peaceful demonstrators.
The movement waned over the holidays but appears to be resurging, despite President Emmanuel Macron’s promises of billions of euros in tax relief and an upcoming “national debate” to address demonstrators’ concerns. Protesters want deeper changes to France’s economy and politics, seen as favoring the rich.
Paris police said they wouldn’t let down their guard, and deployed armored vehicles, horses and attack dogs around the city.   (AP)