Paris riots escalate as masked groups clash with police

Rioting has escalated around Place de la République in Paris, where about 300 masked individuals broke through riot police lines at the edge of an authorized demonstration, with at least one car set on fire. The initially peaceful protest has descended into chaos, with black smoke rising from side streets. Clashes between "Yellow Vests" and radical left activists and police have also occurred in Marseille and several other French cities, where activists briefly entered a municipal building. Hundreds of arrests have been reported. While part of the peaceful march continues, many demonstrators have chosen to leave and flee into side streets.