00:00It's also a day of high tension here in France.
00:03That because a people-led grassroots movement
00:05planning to disrupt transport, education and other services
00:08in a show of anger against the government and Emmanuel Macron.
00:11The protests led primarily by a loose left-wing collective
00:15called Block Everything,
00:17for once minimal involvement in that action actually from trade unions
00:20who were planning their own day of widespread strikes and protests
00:24on September the 18th.
00:26We're going to cross now to our senior reporter James Andre.
00:29Who joins us now from Nassion in the east of Paris.
00:34James, we're just hearing a fact there have been nearly 200 arrests so far.
00:37I don't know what the situation is where you are.
00:42There's absolutely 200 arrests,
00:44quite a few of which actually took place here in eastern Paris
00:47where I'm standing.
00:48As you can see, this high school has been closed.
00:52There are dustbins that have been grouped here.
00:53Earlier on, there was a large group of police
00:56who were securing this perimeter.
00:59But it appears that for today, this high school is going to remain closed.
01:03And earlier on this morning,
01:05along this large artery called the Cour de Vincennes,
01:08there was a large protest that started in Montreuil next door and walked up.
01:13It was quickly dispelled by police that used gases
01:16in order to stop this situation very rapidly.
01:21And this is what we're seeing across Paris.
01:23I mean, the policemen were there just five minutes ago.
01:26They just drove off rapidly towards the Gare du Nord,
01:29where there is a protest right now.
01:31So that gives you an idea.
01:32What we have is small groups of people attempting actions in various areas.
01:37And the police moving rapidly.
01:39Yesterday, the interior minister explained that 80,000 policemen were mobilized today
01:44in order to avoid things spilling over.
01:48For now, it's pretty calm in the French capital.
01:51I mean, we drove around the periphery.
01:52One of the objectives of this grassroots movement
01:55was to block the main Parisian ring road.
01:58Well, that has not happened as of yet.
02:01But we'll have to see how the day carries on.
02:03It's still early here to see how this movement is going to...
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