Paris [France], August 1 (ANI/Sputnik): The French police have arrested 19 people during protests against mandatory COVID-19 passes across the country, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said on Saturday.

According to the BFMTV broadcaster, 204,090 people protested nationwide, including about 14,250 in Paris.

"Thank you to the police and gendarmes who were mobilized today across entire France to monitor the demonstrations ... The assessment at the current stage: 19 arrests, including 10 in Paris," Darmanin tweeted.

Large-scale protests have been sweeping through many cities across France since mid-July after President Emmanuel Macron announced a series of new restrictions to contain the spread of COVID-19.

Starting August, restaurants, bars, shopping centres, airplanes and long-distance trains will require a special pass indicating that a person has either been vaccinated or has a negative test result for COVID-19. (ANI/Sputnik)

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