Bordeaux town hall set on fire in France pension protests

Bordeaux town hall has been set on fire as French protests continued over plans to raise the pension age.

More than a million people took to the streets across France on Thursday, with 119,000 in Paris, according to figures from the interior ministry.

Police fired tear gas at protesters in the capital and 80 people were arrested across the country.

The protests were sparked by legislation raising the retirement age by two years to 64.

Fire engulfed what appeared to be the front door of the town hall in the south west city of Bordeaux on Thursday evening after a day of protests and clashes.

It wasn't clear who was responsible for the blaze, which was quickly put out by firefighters.

In Paris, generally peaceful demonstrations saw occasional police clashes with masked rioters who smashed shop windows, demolished street furniture and attacked a McDonalds restaurant, according to Reuters news agency.

Police used tear gas and were pelted by objects and fireworks, AP news agency reported, with 33 people were arrested in the capital.

One police officer was dragged to safety while unconscious, having apparently been hit on the head.

In the northern city of Rouen a young woman was seen lying on the ground after sustaining a serious injury to her hand. Witnesses said she lost her thumb after she was hit by a so-called "flash-ball" grenade fired by police to disperse demonstrators.

There were other clashes in the western cities of Nantes, Rennes and Lorient.

The protests, now on their ninth day, also disrupted train travel, oil refineries and saw teachers and workers at Paris's Charles de Gaulle Airport walk out of work.

French unions have called for a tenth day of strikes and protests next Tuesday. This would coincide with the last full day of King Charles III's state visit to the country.

The unrest follows the government's decision to force the legislation to raise the pension age through the lower house of parliament - where it lacks an absolute majority - without a vote.

French President Emmanuel Macron defended the move, saying the reform is a necessity.

France's prime minister, Elisabeth Borne, has said the changes are essential to prevent a major deficit in the system in the future.