Nine French police officers were injured in clashes with people protesting government policy late Saturday in the cities of Montpelier and Nantes, prompting the country's interior minister to denounce the "unprecedented acts of violence."

French authorities say 63 people have been arrested during protests.

Interior Minister Gerard Collomb denounced the violence and damage to stores and public buildings at the edges of Saturday's protests.

Collomb called for calm as another protest is planned Sunday at Notre-Dame-des-Landes in western France.

Franceinfo reported that a group of ultra-left protesters clashed with police in the southern city of Montpelier after an anti-government demonstration.

Meanwhile, in Nantes, a protest that started when people demonstrated against an action to clear a group of left-wing protesters from a property escalated to the point where objects were being thrown at officers, the police reported on Twitter.

Police responded with tear gas and water cannon. Twelve people were eventually arrested.

A force of 2,500 officers was called out this week to clear the building north-west of Nantes, which had been occupied for years, originally as a protest against an airport project, plans for which were dropped in January. During the initial clearance effort, petrol bombs were flung at officers.

Macron is going on national television Sunday night to explain his reforms to the French economy. He says he's making the country more competitive globally while workers fear losing job protections.