FRANCE IN CHAOS: RIOT POLICE SCRAMBLE AS THOUSANDS GO ON STRIKE AND START FIRES.

FLIGHTS were cancelled and access to airports and major cities were blocked across France as thousands of workers went on strike.

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Policemen from the Ile de France region hold a banner during the demonstrations in Paris

One in five flights were cancelled today due to air traffic controllers’ strike as taxi drivers burnt car tyres and spread havoc.
The taxi strike meant that access to Paris’s Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports, as well as airports in Toulouse, Marseille and Bordeaux were greatly disrupted.
Taxi drivers are protesting at what they feel is unfair competition from companies, such as Uber.
The air strike is because of salary and job loss concerns. 

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A dummy is fixed to the hood of a taxi car as taxi drivers block a street in Bordeaux

Paris police sprayed tear gas on taxi drivers who were trying to march onto a main highway

Prime minister Manuel Valls has condemned the violence during the protests, which has seen 20 people be arrested so far.
He said that although people have a right to protest, violence is "intolerable".
Paris police sprayed tear gas on taxi drivers who were trying to march onto a main highway.
The taxi drivers have blocked a major intersection leading into western Paris.
EasyJet has said that it has cancelled 35 flights, mainly within France, but also to or from Switzerland, Italy and Spain.
The air controllers’ union want to be exempt from planned changes to how salaries are calculated and they are also protesting at the 1,000 jobs, which have been lost in the last 10 years. 

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People dressed as prisoners wear placards protesting

Taxi drivers set up a barricade early on Tuesday morning at Porte Maillot, which is one of the major entry points into Paris.
FRANCE 24’s reporter, Jonathan Walsh, said: “The disruption today is probably going to be massive.
“[Porte Maillot] roundabout is already completely jammed with taxis. The ring road around Paris is also going to become quickly paralysed.”

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The movement was joined by air traffic controllers, taxi drivers and teachers

Ahead of Tuesday's strike, the spokesman of the Taxis de France collective, Thierry Guichard, said: "We don't want any violent protests (because) that would be counter-productive."
One third of teachers are expected to have been striking today for higher pay.
Photos have emerged of protesters dressed as prisoners as they display their feelings against any work reform.