PARIS - Nearly 300 protesters were arrested on Tuesday after May Day riots in central Paris, where hooded youths torched a McDonald's restaurant and several vehicles during a march against President Emmanuel Macron's public sector reforms.

Shouting "Rise up, Paris" and "Everyone hates the police", around 1,200 people in black jackets and face masks joined the traditional May 1 union-led demonstration for workers' rights, according to a count by Paris police.

After trying to hold up the march a group of protesters ran amok along the route, destroying a McDonald's restaurant near Austerlitz station, east of the city center, and setting it ablaze.

They also torched vehicles at a car dealership, along with a mechanical digger and a scooter, leaving a trail of destruction and plumes of dark smoke billowing into the air.

The worst unrest in months in Paris comes at a time of heightened tensions over Macron's reform of the public sector and follows a showdown between police and anti-capitalist squatters at a sprawling commune in western France.

The police used tear gas and water cannon to disperse the demonstrators.

On Tuesday night, 102 people remained in custody out of 276 who were arrested, police said, adding: "31 businesses were damaged, of which two were burned, 6 vehicles were burned and 10 others damaged".

"These individuals were motivated by the desire to disrupt the union meeting, to derail the day," Paris police chief Michel Delpuech said.

"When we saw this violence and the attackers' determination, I immediately gave an order to stop the march."

Macron condemned the violence, posting on Twitter during his trip to Australia: "Everything will be done so that the perpetrators are identified and held responsible for their actions."

The looting and destruction overshadowed the march, which drew between 20,000 and 55,000 peaceful protesters according to estimates.

Other May Day protests were largely peaceful in French cities, where hundreds of thousands of workers and students gathered.

Polls show the French supporting Macron's reforms but being more critical of his fiscal policy, seen as favoring the wealthy.

But Macron, who vowed during his election campaign to make France more competitive, has insisted he will not budge from his course.

"I'm doing what I said I would," he said during a recent television interview to mark the anniversary of his election on May 7.

AFP - Xinhua