News 79K views since yesterday

Sky's Bunkall pulls back as Paris police charge

The correspondent's street-level report shows boarded-up shops, tear gas and an officer briefly catching fire during clashes.

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Sky News Story of November 1, 2026Trari Newsroom

Why this story? One of Sky News's most watched videos since yesterday, with 78,594 views.

Police use tear gas as Paris protest turns violent

Alistair Bunkall moves towards a Paris side street, where riot police stand behind shields and shopfronts are closed or boarded up. Rocks begin flying towards the police line. Officers charge forward, an explosion follows and one officer briefly catches fire.

"OK let's just pull back slightly," the Sky News correspondent says as the reporting team retreats.

Wearing a helmet and gas mask, Bunkall reports from a wide boulevard on the eastern edge of Paris. He says protesters are throwing fireworks and tear gas canisters back towards police, and digging up paving to obtain rocks. Police are firing tear gas from several directions, he reports.

The footage adds a close-range account of the police advance to the day's coverage of the Paris clashes. Before the charge, Bunkall explains how the boulevard and adjoining streets complicate police efforts to control the area. He also says businesses across Paris have boarded up ahead of weekend demonstrations.

Sky describes the demonstrations as part of ongoing anti-government protests. Its report cites French government estimates that hundreds of thousands participated nationwide, including tens of thousands in Paris. The clip has drawn about 79,000 views since yesterday.

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