Protests continue against the stream of economic reforms brought in by French President Emmanuel Macron since coming to power a year ago.

The protests had been interrupted by outbreaks of violence, and riot police clashing with protesters with batons, stun grenades and tear gas.

Macron, who froze civil service pay earlier this year and plans to cut 120,000 public sector jobs by 2022, has been depicted as a dictator.

Macron's government plans to rely more on contract staff instead of the civil servants traditionally recruited for lifelong careers.

French police beat up protesters in Paris

Clashes erupted between riot police and protesters in Paris on Tuesday as French Civil Servants took to the streets to demonstrate against against Macron's reforms.

French police beat up protesters on Tuesday after unions, angered by years of public sector pay curbs and President Emmanuel Macron’s economic reforms, urged state employees to stop work on and join nationwide street protests.

The protests turned into violent clashes and the police resorted to brutality, detaining protesters and beating them to the ground with batons.

Images showed riot police charging at protesters with batons in central Paris, firing stun grenades and tear gas.

A video shows police officers beating a protester who is already on the ground.

Police said at least 20 demonstrators were arrested during the clashes.

It's the third time that labour unions have sought to stage a nationwide show of strength in this fashion since Macron began his five-year-term in May last year.