top cx logo
cx logo
Explorearrow down
search icon
Explore
arrow down

Thousands march across France against rise of ‘the far right’

The Marche des Libertés took place in 140 towns across the country, in denunciation of what organisers called ‘attacks on freedom’ 

Protesters in Paris. Thousands march across France against rise of ‘the far right’

Protests took place across the country but police and organiser number estimates differed greatly Pic: Jean-Luc Mélenchon / @JLMelenchon / Twitter

Members of left-wing political parties and associations demonstrated across France, yesterday (June 12) in a series of  ‘Marches for Freedom’ (Marche des Libertés), with organisers saying 70,000 people took part.

Police put the number much lower, at 9,000 protestors in Paris and 37,000 nationwide.*

Protestors marched in 140 towns to denounce what they called “attacks on freedom” due to the rise in support for far-right parties, and laws that they say are “killing freedoms”.

As well as 9,000 in Paris (according to the police), there were around 1,200 reported in Rennes. 1,000 in Toulouse, between 500-1,000 in Strasbourg, more than 600 in Nancy, 450 in Besançon, and almost 300 apiece in Avignon and Pau

Around 100 organisations were represented, especially in Paris, including human rights campaigners la Ligue des droits de l'homme, la Cimade, Oxfam and Attac; and climate groups Youth for climate and France nature environnement. 

Representatives from all left-leaning parties were also present, including leaders Jean-Luc Mélenchon (La France Insoumise) and Benoît Hamon (Génération.s, formerly the Socialist Party), and unions la CGT, FSU, le Syndicat de la magistrature, and Unef.

Two people were arrested and placed in police custody for the alleged ‘flouring’ - throwing flour over as a form of protest - of Mr Mélenchon, who is a somewhat controversial figure even among the left. 

Mr Mélenchon later reportedly said: “I am alive, everything is fine, it’s only flour.” 

Eric Coquerel, from la France Insoumise, hailed the marches as a success. 

He told France Info: "The side of freedom, of the fight against the far-right, against racism, must show again its potential for fighting back, this was the point [of the march]. 

"In France, there is not only the far right, the far-right agenda, the far-right themes that the government is after; the classic right. [But] there are also people who are totally opposed to this vision of things. That's what we did today with great success [show our opposition to the right]."

*There is often a significant difference in France between the protestor numbers given by the authorities and those given by the organisers, due to the fact they do not use the same methods to count people.

Read more here: Why is there often a difference in protestor numbers between what authorities and organisers say?)

Related stories

Which French regions look set to vote far right in June’s elections?
Macron face slap: Why did the attacker shout ‘Montjoie Saint Denis’?
New critical version of Mein Kampf to be sold in France from June 2

Resident or second-home owner in France?
Benefit from our daily digest of headlines and how-to's to help you make the most of life in France
By joining the newsletter, you agree to our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy
See more popular articles
The Connexion Help Guides
featured helpguide
Income Tax in France 2023 (for 2022 income)*
Featured Help Guide
- Primarily aimed at Britons, covers pensions, rent, ISAs, shares, savings and interest - but also contains significant general information pertinent to readers of other nationalities - Overview of online declarations + step-by-step guide to the French printed forms - Includes updates given automatically after this year's site opened
Get news, views and information from France