Paris police use tear gas to disperse rioters at strike protest: AFP

Paris (AFP) – Paris police on Thursday used tear gas to disperse rioters who set fire to a vehicle and smashed windows at a protest marking one of the biggest strikes in France in years, AFP correspondents said.

The tensions broke out close to the place de la Republique square in the east of Paris, where thousands had massed to protest planned pension reforms. A construction trailer was overturned and set on fire, sending a huge plume of smoke into the sky.