France, May 1 -- In Lyon, police fired tear gas after black bloc groups launched fireworks, mortars and other projectiles, while clashes in Nantes left a police officer with injuries to the face.

Around 320 demonstrations were planned across the country, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said. In Paris, union leaders led the main march, while large rallies were also held in Toulouse, Marseille, Nantes and Lille.

"This is not the theft of May Day that must be put on parliament's agenda. It is a major plan to increase wages," Sophie Binet, leader of the hard-left CGT union, said, marching beside Marylise Leon of the reformist CFDT union in Paris.

Binet called for a 5 percent rise in the minimum wage and for salaries to be linked to prices ...