'Assaults, fights, stabbings': More than 400 injured in France's yellow vest fuel protests

The tally of injured in assaults, fights, and stabbings during France's “yellow vest” protests against fuel price rises has jumped to more than 400 after a restive night.

Fourteen of the injured were in a serious condition as the demonstrations against Emmanuel Macron, the French president, went into their second day.

One person died on Saturday during the protests, for which people are wearing high-visibility yellow vests and setting up road blocks across the country. 

Of the 409 injured, 28 are members of the police and fire brigade, said Christophe Castaner, the interior minister.

About 3,500 of the estimated 288,000 people who took part in Saturday's protests stayed out overnight to continue demonstrating.

"Last night was restive... There were assaults, fights, stabbings," Mr Castaner told RTL radio. "There were fights among 'yellow vest' protesters. There was a lot of alcohol at certain venues, which led to this idiotic behaviour."

Demonstrations were continuing on Sunday at about 150 locations countrywide, said Mr Castaner.

A protestor was killed on Saturday when a panicked motorist accidentally rammed one of the hundreds of roadblocks.

Diesel and petrol price rises, which are due to come into force in January, are part of Mr Macron’s bid to wean France off fossil fuels.

Diesel is set to go up by seven cents a litre, and petrol by three cents. Diesel vehicle owners, still a majority in France, feel betrayed after decades of the state encouraging diesel engines.

Many French see the fuel hikes as emblematic of Mr Macron’s presidency, which they view as disconnected from day-to-day economic difficulties and designed to help the rich.

"They have sent a message," Mr Castaner said after Saturday’s protests.

"It is heard. The government is attentive to all demonstrations and, of course, we must continue to answer the expectations of the French including those about their purchasing power."

The weekend’s protest came as a new opinion poll showed that Mr Macron’s popularity has dropped to just 25 percent.

The IFOP poll published on Sunday showed an overall drop of four points in November from the previous month, with only four per cent of respondents saying they were "very satisfied" with the president's performance, while 21 percent were "mostly satisfied."