Protesting French prison guards clash with police

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(AP Photo/Thibault Camus). Riot police officers stand guard outside the Fresnes prison during a demonstration about long-running complaints by penitentiary staff, in Fresnes, outside Paris, Tuesday Jan.16, 2018. Penitentiary staff blocked several priso... (AP Photo/Thibault Camus). Riot police officers stand guard outside the Fresnes prison during a demonstration about long-running complaints by penitentiary staff, in Fresnes, outside Paris, Tuesday Jan.16, 2018. Penitentiary staff blocked several priso...
(AP Photo/Thibault Camus). Penitentiary staff push back against anti-riot police as they block the entrance of the Fresnes prison during a demonstration about long-running complaints by penitentiary staff, in Fresnes, outside Paris, Tuesday Jan.16, 201... (AP Photo/Thibault Camus). Penitentiary staff push back against anti-riot police as they block the entrance of the Fresnes prison during a demonstration about long-running complaints by penitentiary staff, in Fresnes, outside Paris, Tuesday Jan.16, 201...
(AP Photo/Thibault Camus). Penitentiary staff demonstrate about long-running complaints, outside Fesnes prison in Fresnes, outside Paris, Tuesday Jan.16, 2018. Penitentiary staff blocked several prisons in France after the report of a knife wielding in... (AP Photo/Thibault Camus). Penitentiary staff demonstrate about long-running complaints, outside Fesnes prison in Fresnes, outside Paris, Tuesday Jan.16, 2018. Penitentiary staff blocked several prisons in France after the report of a knife wielding in...
(AP Photo/Thibault Camus). Penitentiary staff burn tires at barricades outside the Fresnes prison during a demonstration in Fresnes, outside Paris, Tuesday Jan. 16, 2018. Saff blocked several prisons in France after an attack by an inmate against sever... (AP Photo/Thibault Camus). Penitentiary staff burn tires at barricades outside the Fresnes prison during a demonstration in Fresnes, outside Paris, Tuesday Jan. 16, 2018. Saff blocked several prisons in France after an attack by an inmate against sever...
(AP Photo/Thibault Camus). Penitentiary staff push back against anti-riot police as they block the entrance of the Fresnes prison during a demonstration in Fresnes, outside Paris, Tuesday Jan. 16, 2018. Saff blocked several prisons in France after an a... (AP Photo/Thibault Camus). Penitentiary staff push back against anti-riot police as they block the entrance of the Fresnes prison during a demonstration in Fresnes, outside Paris, Tuesday Jan. 16, 2018. Saff blocked several prisons in France after an a...

FRESNES, France (AP) - Protesting French prison guards have pushed back against riot police and shouted down the justice minister amid demonstrations at several prisons over violent inmates and overcrowding.

Dozens of union activists lit a fire and were surrounded by riot police Tuesday morning at the notoriously violent Fresnes prison southeast of Paris.

Protesters bellowing the national anthem greeted Justice Minister Nicole Belloubet as she visited a prison in Vendin-le-Vieil in northern France on Tuesday to try to calm tensions.

The protests in multiple French prisons were sparked by a knife attack last week at the Vendin-le-Vieil prison. Authorities say inmate Christian Ganczarski, linked to a 2002 synagogue attack in Tunisia, was given preliminary charges of attempted murder.

In a separate incident, seven guards were injured by an inmate Monday in a prison in southwest France.

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