Live: France's Yellow Vests throw their weight behind mounting student protests

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez told France 2 that police officers could use stun grenades in case of "extremely serious urban violence". He had suspended their use during the student protests after one stun grenade fired by police blew off the hand of a 15-year-old.

Organisers of Saturday's demonstrations have set up a website showing more than 600 demonstrations planned across France. Paris police chief Patrice Faure banned demonstrations around the Élysée presidential palace, the prime minister's office and the Champs-Élysée shopping avenue, among other key locations.

Police also banned a major march through the heart of the capital and negotiations with organisers over an alternative route failed to reach agreement. The main Paris demonstration was to start at 2pm (1200 GMT) at Place de la République and head to northern Paris.

French President Emmanuel Macron called for calm on the eve of nationwide cost-of-living protests Saturday as students, trade unionists and remnants of the Yellow Vest movement join forces to protest ​the country's fraying social model. Speaking from Brussels, Macron called "for calm and respect", adding that the right to protest went hand in hand with "respect for people and property"."

We're expecting a pretty big turnout," Interior Minister Laurent Nunez told France 2 television. A police source told AFP that authorities estimated nearly 200,000 people could take part, with 40,000 in Paris.

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