Anti-racism groups joined French unions and a new left-wing coalition in protests across France against the surging nationalist far right as frenzied campaigning is under way in advance of snap parliamentary elections.
About 21,000 police and gendarmes were deployed at rallies on June 15 with authorities expecting between 300,000 and 500,000 protesters nationwide, France’s interior ministry said.
In Paris, those who feared the elections would produce France’s first far-right government since World War II gathered at Place de la Republique before marching. Crowds have been gathering daily in France, ever since the anti-immigration National Rally made historic gains in the European Parliament elections. This prompted Macron to dissolve the National Assembly and call for a snap legislative election, to be held in two rounds on June 30 and July 7.
A large crowd turned out in spite of rainy and windy weather on Saturday holding placards reading “Liberty for all, equality for all, and fraternity with all” – a reference to France’s national motto – as well as “Let’s break frontiers, documents for all, no to the immigration bill.”
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