This article is from the source 'rtcom' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.rt.com/news/385080-protesters-smoke-police-lepen/
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Tear gas & smoke grenades as police face off with protesters ahead of Le Pen rally (WATCH LIVE) | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Protests have erupted in Paris ahead of presidential hopeful Marine Le Pen’s campaign rally in the city. Several smoke grenades have been thrown at French riot police officers, with reports of tear gas being fired in return. | |
| Dozens of anti-National Front protesters have gathered at the Zenith concert hall in north-east Paris on Monday, April 17, the same day far-right candidate Marine Le Pen is expected to hold a presidential campaign rally. | |
| Protesters were initially seen on a Ruptly video standing next to the concert hall and chanting slogans surrounded by police trying to keep the crowd back. According to Reuters, police fired tear gas, while the crowd responded by throwing chunks of wood. | |
| RT's correspondent at the scene, Charlotte Dubenskij, reports that the protest has turned violent with journalists being attacked with tears gas and bricks. | |
| “We have been caught in tear gas, we have had bricks thrown in the direction of us, one member of the press had his camera taken off of him and thrown on the floor,” Dubenskij, adding that fires erupted as well. | |
| The first round of presidential elections in France are scheduled for Sunday. Far-right candidate Marine Le Pen and and centrist Emmanuel Macron are expected to qualify for the May 7 run-off, according to the polls. However, conservative Francois Fillon and far-leftist Jean-Luc Melenchon have been narrowing the gap as well. |