Stunning pictures of Paris in chaos as anti-Uber taxis drivers ambush cars and set fires

REUTERS/Charles PlatiauFrench riot police stand next to an overturned car as striking French taxi drivers demonstrate at the Porte Maillot to block the traffic on the Paris ring road during a national protest against car-sharing service Uber, in Paris, France, June 25, 2015.

Taxi drivers hit the streets of France on Thursday, bringing some of the country's main transport arteries to a total standstill.

They're officially protesting against Uber's ride-hailing app UberPOP, which allows users to be picked up by unqualified drivers.

But the protest also seems to be about Uber in general. In some places there has been outright violence, with burning tyres, flares, flipped cars and riot police.

France is not the only place where taxi drivers have protested over Uber's apps - parts of central London effectively but the demonstrations have been much more violent than in other European cities.

Take a look at the dramatic scenes.