In pictures: Initially peaceful protests across France over inequality again descend into violence

Mostly peaceful protests across France over a worsening cost-of-living crisis and growing inequality descended into violence for a second straight weekend.

France's Interior Ministry said 410,000 people took part in protests in several major cities, including Paris.

After rioters set fire to the historic city hall in Limoges and looters smashed supermarkets and luxury boutiques in Lyon last weekend, French authorities greatly stepped up security ahead of Saturday's protests.

In Paris on Saturday, riot police fired tear gas and water cannon to disperse a group of around 500 hooded youths who hurled stones at officers, Reuters quoted a security official as saying.

In France's second city, Marseille, youths dragged large metal sheets to block a street, set fire to rubbish bins, and hurled rocks and bottles at riot police. The confrontations continued after sunset, and police said looters raided two jewelry shops, according to a Reuters report.

Clashes also flared in Lyon, Bordeaux and Grenoble, while police fired volleys of tear gas at demonstrators in Clermont-Ferrand, Lille, Nantes and Nice, according to the agency.

However, the violence was still less intense than a week ago, when looters and vandals went on the rampage in a number of French cities.

The demonstrations began last month as a group of high school students in suburban Paris lamented poor school conditions, including teacher shortages and unsatisfactory facilities. The demonstrations have since grown and evolved into nationwide protests.

France's economic and political woes have sharply raised the cost of government borrowing. The yield on its 10-year bond rose above 5% for the first time since 2002 this week, settling around 5.03% on Friday.

Some investors fear the country's debt problems could spread to the rest of the euro zone .