French protests escalate as police clash with anti-right wing crowd

Opponents of the French right wing took to the streets. The protesters initially gathered at Place de la République. However, the demonstration spread through the streets and became aggressive, and the police intervened.

Thousands first gathered at Place de la République and chanted slogans against the far-right National Rally (RN) and its leader, Jordan Bardella. Politicians from the left-wing New People's Front (NFP) — a pre-election alliance combining socialists, communists, Greens, and the far-left Unsubmissive France (LFI) — were expected at the square.

Then, the demonstrators began destroying store windows and setting street fires. The police intervened, and clashes occurred with the officers.

The French Ministry of the Interior reported on Monday that in the first round of parliamentary elections, the far-right National Rally and its allies received 33.2 percent of the votes, the left-wing New People's Front received 28 percent, the centrist camp of President Emmanuel Macron received 20 percent, and the right-wing Republicans received 6.6 percent. The parties centred around President Emmanuel Macron came in third place, with an estimated support forecast of 21 percent. The second round of elections will be held on July 7.