In France there were protests in several cities after the outcome of the presidential election on Sunday evening. Clashes erupted in Lyon between left-wing groups, “yellow vest” protesters and the police, as the broadcaster BFMTV reported. First, the demonstrators shot at the municipal police with firecrackers, as could also be seen on video images. Later, the National Police intervened to stop the riots.
In Paris, too, demonstrators gathered in several places in the evening, who neither considered the winner Emmanuel Macron nor his defeated competitor Marine Le Pen a sensible choice, like the newspaper Le Parisien reported. There was initially no talk of any significant riots in the capital.
In Rennes, western France, where left-wing groups rioted and protests against the extreme right broke out after the first round of elections, the prefecture banned a demonstration on Sunday evening. Renewed damage to property and attacks on the police should be prevented. Nevertheless, around 100 people reportedly gathered to demonstrate against the outcome of the election.
Two weeks ago, on election night, windows and shop windows were destroyed, garbage cans set on fire, barricades erected and objects thrown at police officers, the prefecture said.