Before the first speeches, at the Villepinte Exhibition Center (Seine-Saint-Denis), the tone rises sharply against a team from the Quotidien show (TMC-TF1), known for its sarcastic treatment of politics.

Stefano RELLANDINI AFP

While questioning participants, journalists are taken to task by a small group of young supporters of the far-right candidate, then booed by a growing crowd with the cry of "Everybody hates Daily".

"Band of sold", could also be heard in the bays.

Security must intervene quickly to put them briefly to safety.

"Security overreacted. They came back. There was no violence," said the candidate's communications team.

Then it is at the beginning of the speech that violence breaks out.

A dozen SOS Racisme activists, hidden from the public, unveil clothes to say "no to racism".

In the video broadcast by the association, we see them immediately receiving blows and being targeted by chairs.

Several chases take place at the back of the room to exfiltrate them, in great confusion.

Some participants of the meeting hide their faces, visibly determined to do battle.

The situation returns to calm after ten minutes.

A member of the security evokes "some militants antifas" exfiltrated, reproaching them to have wanted to sow the disorder.

"Militants attacked"

"We wanted to do a non-violent action, I insist non-violent. People stood up to" hit us ", assures Aline Kremer of SOS Racisme. According to an AFP journalist, at least two people are bleeding.

"This will be the subject of complaints from militants attacked to determine who the aggressors are and whether they answer for their acts", warns the president of SOS Racisme Dominique Sopo.

These people "did not have to be there, we must not come and provoke our room," reacts Antoine Diers, a member of Eric Zemmour's campaign team.

At the beginning of the afternoon, some 2,000 demonstrators had marched in the streets of Paris to "silence" Eric Zemmour.

Activists hostile to the far-right candidate had also gathered in Villepinte, where 46 people, who were in an area closed to demonstrations were arrested, according to the police headquarters.

Despite these incidents, the meeting can be held according to its planned schedule: it is punctuated by several Marseillaise or the slogan "we are at home", regularly present at its far-right competitor Marine Le Pen (RN).

The name of Eric Zemmour's new party is displayed in large: "Reconquest!"

On the seats, a leaflet presents the candidate, who will "put an end to the migratory invasion" and "denounce the collapse of National Education".

In the room, Martine, a 70-year-old accountant, is a former "fillonist".

She became a "fan" of Eric Zemmour "when he was on (the channel) Cnews".

"I agree with him, France is going nuts," said the one who has just voted Eric Ciotti at the LR congress, but is preparing to leave the shores of the traditional right for the first time.

In the spans, many like the former RN Antoine praise "the union of rights" that their candidate allows according to them.

In the middle of a swarm of French flags, several participants fly the flag of their regions.

"Close to the traditionalist and royalist movement", a young man underlines his attachment to Picardy and hopes that his candidate will do more for regionalism.

His partner, Loménie, believes in Eric Zemmour to fight against "the insecurity suffered by women".

"I was spit on a few months ago by people who were mostly from immigration," she denounces, before applauding her champion.

are-adc-acod-adp-fan / reb / ​​pb

© 2021 AFP