The French unrest follows the arrest of 37 people in protests on the same issue that took place in London and which disrupted Sunday's torch relay.
As many as French 3,000 police were on duty to attempt to control the demonstrations in Paris, which involve an estimated 500 protesters and have been taking place near the Eiffel Tower.
A French Green party supporter had to be dealt with by police after trying to grab the Olympic torch from the first of the 80 torchbearers, former world 400 metres hurdles champion Stephane Diagana.
When the torch was being brought out of a Paris traffic tunnel by a disabled athlete in a wheelchair it had to be taken on a bus because protesters were booing and chanting "Tibet," causing safety concerns.
