Europe

France cleans up Champs-Elysees after yellow vest rioting

Associated Press
Published | Updated

Paris famed restaurant Fouquet's burns on the Champs Elysees avenue during a yellow vests demonstration Saturday, March 16, 2019 in Paris. Paris police say more than 100 people have been arrested amid rioting in the French capital by yellow vest protesters and clashes with police. They set life-threatening fires, smashed up luxury stores and clashed with police firing tear gas and water cannon (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

A protester shouts slogans in front of a barricade on fire during a yellow vests demonstration Saturday, March 16, 2019 in Paris. Paris police say more than 100 people have been arrested amid rioting in the French capital by yellow vest protesters and clashes with police. They set life-threatening fires, smashed up luxury stores and clashed with police firing tear gas and water cannon (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

Paris is cleaning up one of the world's most glamorous avenues after resurgent rioting by yellow vest protesters stunned the nation.

Luxury stores, restaurants and banks on the Champs-Elysees assessed damage Sunday after they were ransacked or blackened by life-threatening fires. Tourists took pictures as shop owners tried to repair broken windows and city workers scrubbed away graffiti.

The posh avenue looked like a battle scene Saturday as protesters rampaged and riot police struggled to contain them for hours.

President Emmanuel Macron promised a crackdown on troublemakers he said "want to destroy the republic, at the risk of killing people."

But he also tweeted that the rioting showed that his government needs to do more to address protesters' concerns.

The yellow vest movement had been fizzling in recent weeks.