Hundreds of demonstrators marched across Paris on Tuesday as part of May Day protests taking place in French cities to oppose economic policies pursued by President Emmanuel Macron.

A car and a motorbike were set on fire outside a car dealership and some demonstrators smashed the windows of a McDonald's restaurant in the French capital's Left Bank as the demonstration heated up.

Protesters also wore masks and threw firecrackers.

During the march, workers and students waved anti-capitalist flags and brandished banners with phrases such as "Risks to Disrupting the Peace," ''Let's Derail the Government" and "Macron Gives Us a Dark Hatred."

Organisers hope the protests will send a robust riposte to the centrist Macron's plans to end some worker protections.