VIDEO - Lille: a thousand people at an anti-Zemmour demonstration enamelled with tensions

Europe 1 with AFP 5:50 p.m., February 05, 2022

Some 1,100 people, according to the prefecture, protested on Saturday afternoon in Lille against the holding in town of a meeting by Eric Zemmour, a demonstration enamelled with tensions with the police who carried out three arrests.

The tension rose from the start of the procession, several hundred meters from the place of the meeting, bringing together "antifa" activists, left, trade unionists and students, noted AFP journalists.

Among them, some 200 "ultras", according to a police source.

First tensions in Lille at the head of the procession of the demo against the presence of Zemmour in Lille.

The police charge the head of the procession to take the banner, the gendarmes use tear gas.

#ZemmourLillepic.twitter.com/SMwMvuN2K1

— Remy Buisine (@RemyBuisine) February 5, 2022

Teargas

The security forces very quickly fired sporadic tear gas, in particular to disperse a group of about twenty demonstrators, all dressed in black, trying to prevent the police from extracting one of them. them.

The police also intervened to seize the head banner, proclaiming "Faire Bloc will put them on their knees", after a start of stoning of the ranks of the mobile gendarmes, indicated a police source adding that three arrests were made.

CGT or CNT activists have from time to time taken the lead of the procession, initially led by a few dozen demonstrators dressed in black and appearing as ready to fight.

Under the slogans "Everyone hates Eric Zemmour" and "Death to the cops and fascists", the demonstration was then peppered with mortar fireworks, some of which aimed at the ranks of the police.

Also targeted by potato fire, the police carried out several rapid charges accompanied by tear gas to drive back the disruptors.

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The demonstration then dispersed calmly after a procession of more than three hours, in the city center, a good distance from the place of the meeting.

"Zemmour, our parents knew these ideas, and it continues, people are deaf or blind I don't understand", was indignant in the crowd Christian, 68, retired.

"Zemmour was sentenced for racist and misogynistic remarks. He should not be able to present himself. He discriminates against a good part of the population, how could he represent us?", annoyed for his part Salomé, 18, art student .

A first rally brought together 500 people in the morning, in the presence of the PS mayor, Martine Aubry, to say "No to racism, no to the far right" at the call of SOS-racisme.