In a week of demonstrations that has dominated national news coverage,hundreds have been injured and two people died in accidents stemming from the protests.

The unrest is proving a major challenge for embattled Macron,who's suffering in the polls and the focus of rage for the demonstrators,who accuse the pro-business centrist of indifference to the struggles of ordinary French.

Macron has insisted that the fuel tax rises are a necessary pain to reduce France's dependence on fossil fuels and fund renewable energy investments,which is a cornerstone of his reforms of the nation. He will defend fresh plans to make the"energy transition"easier on Tuesday.

On Saturday,Paris deployed some 3000 security forces,notably around tourist-frequented areas,after an unauthorised attempt last week to march on the presidential Elysee Palace.

Authorities said protesters have so far not breached a no-go zone set up by authorities around key areas including the presidential palace and the National Assembly on the Left Bank of the Seine River.

But authorities are struggling because the movement has no clear leader and has attracted a motley group of people with broadly varying demands.

A man caused a dramatic standoff with police on Friday when he donned a neon vest and brandished an apparent grenade at a supermarket in the western city of Angers. He was later arrested.

AP