FRANCE erupted in violent protest today as furious demonstrators clashed with riot police, leaving more than 150 arrested.

Tear gas, burning barricades and smashed pavements marked scenes of chaos from Paris to Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse in what unions dubbed a nationwide "Black Thursday."

Nearly a million people were expected to march in anger at Emmanuel Macron ’s government, with more than 250 rallies called against budget cuts worth £40 billion.

In Paris, protesters set fire to wooden pallets outside the Gare du Nord, while masked students lit red flares and blocked high school entrances.

The Eiffel Tower shut down, Metro lines were crippled, and bus drivers, teachers and hospital staff walked off the job.

Chants of "Macron, resign!" also echoed across the capital.

As r

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