More than 500 people have been arrested as activists clashed with police at violent yellow vest protests across France.
In dramatic scenes in Paris, police fired tear gas at protesters who were trying to march on the French presidential palace.
Crowds of protesters tried to march down the Champs-Elysees avenue towards the Elysee palace but were prevented by rows of police blocking them with shields.
A few hundred demonstrators took side streets and tried to get past a police barricade, prompting the officers’ use of tear gas.
Paris was on lockdown on Saturday morning with dozens of streets closed to traffic. Shops were boarded up to avoid looting and the Eiffel Tower was also closed.
But not all of the campaigners were intent on causing disorder and by mid-morning on Saturday there were no signs of widespread rioting and looting that happened in a similar protest last weekend.
More than 500 people had been arrested across France by about noon UK time. No injuries have been reported.
France had been braced for “ultra-violent” demonstrations on Saturday, with tens of thousands of officers deployed to police the anti-government protests.
Emmanuel Macron’s government warned the “yellow vest” demos – which began three weeks ago over a fuel tax hike – have been hijacked by “radicalised” crowds.
Some 89,000 officers, as well as armoured vehicles, have taken position across the nation. There were 8,000 police in Paris alone. Saturday’s protests were predicted to be most dangerous yet.
In the capital, the Eiffel Tower and Louvre Museum were shut down along with hundreds of shops and businesses. They feared a repeat of the rioting and looting last weekend that saw 130 people injured amid the worst urban unrest in Paris in decades.
Many members of the protest movement called for calm after meeting Prime Minister Édouard Philippe. But the movement has no clear leaders, and past protests have attracted extremists who hurled projectiles at police.
Interior minister Christophe Castaner said: According to the information we have, some radicalised and rebellious people will try to get mobilised tomorrow.
Some ultra-violent people want to take part.
Parts of Paris looked like they were bracing for a hurricane, with boards on windows covering up Christmas decorations. Police removed any materials from the streets that could be used as weapons.
Mayor Anne Hidalgo said: It’s with an immense sadness that we’ll see our city partially brought to a halt, but your safety is our priority. Take care of Paris on Saturday because Paris belongs to all the French people.
The grassroots yellow vest movement began as resistance against a rise in taxes for diesel and gasoline, but quickly expanded to encompass frustration at stagnant incomes and the growing cost of living.
Mr Macron agreed to abandon the fuel tax hike, but that failed to defuse the protests.
Four people have been killed in accidents since the unrest began on November 17.
The president, the target of much of the protesters’ ire, has been largely invisible in recent days, leaving his prime minister and government to try to negotiate with protesters.