PARIS, March 23: Several cars and a shop were on fire on Thursday near the Invalides esplanade in central Paris after disturbances during a march against the government’s youth jobs plan.

Tens of masked youths attacked firemen who came to extinguish the flames, with stones and pieces of metal.

The fire spread from two burning cars to the shop on a street running beside the esplanade, which is near France’s foreign ministry.

Masked gangs smashed the windows of a car-hire business.

Police were trying to clear the esplanade of student demonstrators to isolate the groups of rioters.

Nearby bridges over the River Seine were sealed off.

A spokesman said police were under orders to arrest the rioters.

Some 23,000 young people took part in the demonstration against the government’s First Employment Contract, according to a police count. —-AFP