Violent far-right groups took advantage of the social mobilization on Saturday October 24 to parade in the streets of several cities.
In Nancy, around thirty hooded people belonging to a far-right militia charged a procession, throwing projectiles, before retreating behind the gendarmes. Images filmed in Rouen by the media Blast show far-right activists attacking demonstrators in front of the police.
For the Minister of the Interior, there was no complacency from the police, nor any instruction from the Minister of the Interior to let it happen. So yes, we could see combat groups walking in the streets, he added.
The Minister of the Interior responded that groups formed into compact groups, close to the combat groups, were observed in around fifteen cities, in fact, and went to look for ultra-left opponents to go to the confrontation.
Each time there have been fights between them, the police have prevented them and arrested a certain number of these individuals, continues the minister, affirming that the action will continue against the ultra-right as against the ultra-left.
Videos and images shared on social networks, however, seem to show a certain inertia on the part of the police during violence committed by small far-right groups against demonstrators.
These ultra-right militiamen engaged in this violence with a disturbing passivity on the part of certain elements of the police, according to a PS senator.