Scuffles, arrests in Paris as thousands mark May Day

Five people were arrested in the southeastern city of Lyon as black bloc protesters again clashed with police at the demonstration, which drew some 3,000 people despite the rain.

Police scuffled with protesters in Paris on Saturday, firing tear gas as thousands turned out across France for May Day workers' rights demonstrations. A police source told AFP that far-left "black bloc" protesters had repeatedly tried to block the trade union-led march in the French capital, with 34 people detained. Some protesters smashed the windows of bank branches, set fire to dustbins and threw projectiles at police, who responded with volleys of tear gas and stingball grenades. An injured policeman had to be evacuated, an AFP journalist saw.