A person grabbed French far-right presidential candidate Eric Zemmour as he moved by way of the group in the direction of the stage throughout his first political rally on Sunday (December 5).
The person lunged and grabbed Zemmour briefly by the neck earlier than being tackled by safety and later put in custody by police.
Though Zemmour went on to ship his speech, his crew mentioned afterwards that he had been injured within the incident and a physician had ordered a nine-day relaxation, Le Monde newspaper reported.
On the rally, Zemmour promised a “reconquest” in opposition to a long time of decline. He mentioned he was calling his occasion “Reconquest,” a reputation that evokes the historic interval often known as the Reconquista, when Christian forces drove Muslim rulers from the Iberian peninsula.
With echoes of Donald Trump’s first marketing campaign for U.S. president, Zemmour promised to slash immigration and taxes to cheers from flag-waving supporters that organisers put at 15,000. A Reuters rely put their quantity at round 10,000.
Zemmour, who has been convicted for inciting racial hatred, is the principle challenger to long-time far-right determine Marine Le Pen for a spot in a second run-off spherical of subsequent April’s election, most certainly in opposition to President Emmanuel Macron.
Identified for provocative statements in opposition to Islam and immigration, he has received help away from each Le Pen’s voter base but additionally the mainstream conservative proper.