Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets across France on Saturday and clashes with police broke out in Paris and other major cities.

Most of the protests appeared to be centered on anger over cost of living increases and economic policies. 

In Paris, a largely peaceful demonstration turned violent near Porte de Charenton, where groups of masked individuals dressed in black hurled paving stones and other projectiles at police. A Molotov cocktail was also thrown at security forces, striking a gendarme and setting his uniform ablaze. The officer sustained burns but was not reported to have suffered life-threatening injuries.

Police responded with tear gas and baton charges as officers moved to disperse the groups. 

French authorities reportedly described several hundred individuals involved in the clashes as violent.

In Lyon, protesters also clashed with police, prompting officers to deploy tear gas. Separate footage circulating Sunday on social media showed demonstrators burning American and Israeli flags during Saturday's demonstrations. Some people in the crowd were heard chanting anti-Israel slogans.