Fresh agitation erupted in France on Saturday and protesters and police clashed in Paris with tear gas fired and projectiles thrown, at the tail end of demonstrations in the capital and elsewhere that the French government says have drawn 410,000 demonstrators nationwide. Significantly, Paris saw the largest protest on Saturday, with the interior ministry estimating that 110,000 took part in a march on the city’s southeastern edge that started peacefully but is ending with violence.
Police fire tear gas at protesters
To bring the situation under control, police have fired volleys of tear gas and are also using water cannons to try to disperse people, including some who have thrown projectiles. French police said it has arrested 135 people across the country and seized a wide array of weapons during nationwide demonstrations, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said as the far-right National Rally party launched its party convention in Orléans, south of Paris, which attracted both supporters and counterprotesters.
France24 reported that Minister Nunez, speaking on the security situation, stated that “there has been no major incident” so far, while Paris police described the capital’s midday atmosphere as “calm.”
Frech authorities confirmed that confiscated items included metal balls, lead pellets, fireworks, slingshots, steel balls, improvised weapons, airsoft guns, and a Japanese katana sword, France24 noted.
Thousands of demonstrators flood the streets of Orléans
It should be noted that the security crackdown came as thousands of demonstrators flooded the streets of Orléans to protest a two-day convention held by Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally party (Rassemblement National). The city became the central focus of Saturday’s mobilisations, with local prefecture officials reporting 11,000 protesters gathered by noon, according to France24.
Marchers in Orléans targeted both Marine Le Pen and President Emmanuel Macron, chanting slogans and carrying banners opposing the far right during what serves as a key campaign event for Le Pen six months ahead of France’s presidential election.
The demonstration brought together a broad coalition including left-wing party leaders, trade unions, student groups, activists, and non-governmental organisations such as Amnesty International, according to France24.
Jordan Bardella was re-elected as president of National Rally
Jordan Bardella was re-elected on Saturday as president of the National Rally (Rassemblement National) during the congress in Orléans. The gathering kicked off shortly before 3 PM at the Zénith arena in the Loiret prefecture, where thousands of party delegates and activists gathered to show their support, chanting “Marine for President,” France 24 reported.
Several peaceful protests are underway across France, as thousands of demonstrators march in the cities of Marseille, Lyon and Lille with reports of clashes between police and protestors in the city of Lyon.
With inputs from ANI, PTI
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