France ready for state of emergency - minister

PARIS, Dec 2 (MENA) - French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said he is ready to explore all possibilities, including declaring a state of emergency.

"I have no taboo, I'm ready to explore all possibilities," said Castaner in statements to France 24 Channel.

The state of emergency was called for Saturday night by the Alliance police union and suggested by the union of police commissioners (NPC).

The minister compared the perpetrators of violence that occurred Saturday in the capital to "factious, seditious". "We identified about 3,000 people who were in Paris and committed degradations, "which actually made it much more difficult for law enforcement to intervene," the minister said.

"All the means of the police, gendarmerie, civil protection were mobilized today" in Paris and regions, said Christophe Castaner, noting that 4,600 police and gendarmes were mobilized in the capital.

This is the third straight weekend of clashes in Paris involving activists dressed in the fluorescent yellow vests of a new protest movement and the worst urban violence since at least 2005.

The scene contrasted sharply with other protests in France, where demonstrations and road blockades elsewhere were largely peaceful Saturday.

The violence is Macron’s biggest challenge so far as president that erupted following fuel tax rises. France’s failure to quell the anger has led to copycat yellow jacket movements in Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands.