Tens of thousands of people in Paris and other French cities rallied yesterday against racism and the rise of the far-right, with some taking aim at the administration of Donald Trump in the United States and others carrying Palestinian flags.
Several scuffles between police officers and demonstrators took place in Paris.
The rallies took place amid the rightward shift in French politics, with the government pledging to tighten immigration policies and border controls.
Around 62,000 people protested across France, according to police.
Many pointed to the growing strength of reactionary political forces, in France but also in the United States.
In the French capital, thousands of people took to the streets.
“Fascism is gangrene from Washington to Paris,” read one placard.
“The far-right is on the rise everywhere in Europe, it’s scary because in France we see far-right ideas becoming more and more commonplace, even among ministers in this government,” said Evelyne Dourille, a 74-year-old pensioner.
One American protester said similar demonstrations should be taking place in the United States.
“America is sliding towards fascism,” said the 55-year-old woman.
Aurelie Trouve, a lawmaker for the hard-left France Unbowed (LFI) party, pointed to the growing popularity of the far-right party of Marine Le Pen in France. “Far-right ideas are contaminating even the government.”
In Marseille, some 3,300 people took to the streets, while 2,600 protested in Lille, according to police.
“Against state Islamophobia” and “Tesla is the new swastika”, said some of the placards.
Ines Frehaut, a student who took part in her first demonstration, said some of the statements of France’s hardline interior minister worried her.
“When you see what has said about Islam, Algeria and the wearing of the veil, it’s serious!” she said.
The protests took place a day after the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
“The situation is serious,” the Human Rights League said, pointing to an “alarming increase” in racist acts.
“There is a global reactionary offensive against foreigners and their children, against Muslims,” added Dominique Sopo, head of of SOS Racisme.
Sopo also pointed to increasing racist and anti-Semitic acts.
In the run-up to the rallies the LFI party caused uproar in France by publishing the image of Cyril Hanouna, one of the most influential stars of right-wing media in the country, as part of a campaign calling on people to turn out and take part in the anti-racism protests.
The image pictured Hanouna, who was born into a Jewish family that had immigrated to France from Tunisia.
Critics accused the LFI of imitating the anti-Semitic tropes of the Third Reich.
Key LFI figures admitted publishing the image was a “mistake” and it was withdrawn.