2,200 demonstrators in Paris against Eric Zemmour according to the police

Some 2,200 demonstrators, according to the police headquarters, marched in the streets of Paris on Sunday to denounce the candidacy for the presidential election and the speech in their eyes “racist” of the far-right polemicist Eric Zemmour, at the call of ‘around fifty unions, parties and associations. The fist raised and with the cry of “Zemmour break yourself, Paris is not yours”, the demonstrators gathered in the district of Barbès and took the direction of the park of Villette, where the former journalist was initially to hold his first big public meeting. His meeting was finally moved to Villepinte (Seine-Saint-Denis), about twenty kilometers from the capital, because of “popular enthusiasm” and for security reasons, according to his entourage.

“Paris does not belong to these ideas”

“Zemmour fled Paris”, rejoiced to AFP Simon Duteil, spokesperson for the union union Solidaires, “it is important to show that we do not let the fascism that is advancing”. “Far-right ideas are trivialized. We carry humanist ideas,” said Jean-Luc Hacquart, a CGT official for Île-de-France. “We are committed against racist speech (…) Paris does not belong to these ideas,” added Raphaël Arnault, spokesperson for the Young Guard. The procession finished its course in peace at the Porte de la Villette. The demonstration, which was considered “at risk” by the authorities, gathered 2,200, according to the police headquarters, nearly 10,000 according to the organizers.

Two arrests

The police made two arrests. Other activists hostile to the far-right candidate gathered in Villepinte, where 46 people, who were in an area closed to demonstrations were arrested, according to the police headquarters. After a long tour, sometimes stormy, to promote his latest book, Eric Zemmour, 63, declared his candidacy on Tuesday.