Charles Guyard, edited by Laura Laplaud, with AFP 9:42 p.m., October 30, 2021

Several hundred people gathered in Nantes this Saturday to protest against the coming of the possible presidential candidate Eric Zemmour for a meeting at the city's Zenith.

Clashes erupted between sympathizers and opponents of the polemicist requiring the intervention of the police.

It is a coming that was not to the taste of all Nantes residents.

Between 200 and 300 people gathered this Saturday in Nantes to denounce the arrival at the Zénith of the far-right essayist, likely presidential candidate Eric Zemmour.

“It really looks like the 1930s, it's words that incite hatred, that push to action,” says Simon, a protester. 

"Zemmour president"

More than 600 people, according to the prefecture, came to demonstrate against the arrival of the polemicist at the call in particular of the collective "Nantes revolted", managing to enter the enclosure of the Zenith, to block a door of the site and to force the gates. .

"Let's stop the horror film", proclaimed a black banner, carried by the demonstrators, and illustrated by caricatures of Emmanuel Macron and Eric Zemmour.

The Loire-Atlantique prefecture has confirmed the presence of "650 people including 150 ultra left and yellow vests particularly animated by a desire to do battle with the meeting of Mr. Zemmour".

A violent demonstration

For several hours, the police protected the surroundings of the Zenith with tear gas canisters, while the supporters of Eric Zemmour chanted the name of their hero: "Zemmour president!"

An Eric Zemmour whose face has been covered with a target on several posters in the streets of Nantes in recent days.

An act that ulcerated Olivier Ubeda, the writer's travel organizer: "The targets mean something, a target on someone's head is a call for murder."

Eric Zemmour on the Zenith stage

When he came to Biarritz last Tuesday, the polemicist had already been greeted by dozens of opponents.

"That will not prevent us from speaking everywhere in France", adds Olivier Ubeda.

"What interests me once again is that Eric Zemmour can deliver his message, talk about his book everywhere in France."

With more than half an hour late, the author of 

France has not said his last word

 went on stage to discuss his latest work in front of nearly 1,500 people. 

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