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Éric Zemmour: Twice convicted of sedition
Photo: CHRISTOPHE PETIT TESSON / EPA
An anti-racism activist has been officially accused of assault following an attack on right-wing publicist and presidential candidate Éric Zemmour in France.
The alleged attacker was placed under judicial supervision, the prosecutor said on Wednesday.
Accordingly, he is not allowed to leave France, own a weapon or contact the victim.
He is accused of injuring Zemmour's wrist on Sunday at an election rally near Paris.
Tumultuous scenes in Villepinte
Zemmour had been given eight days' sick leave because of the injury. In parallel proceedings in connection with the event, the public prosecutor's office initiated investigations into acts of violence against activists of the anti-racism initiative "SOS Racisme". They protested against the candidate in the hall and were attacked by participants. Video images showed tumultuous scenes in which fists and chairs flew and the counter-demonstrators were forced out. Two of them were bleeding when they were led out of the hall.
Opponents of the right-wing candidate streamed in front of the event hall in Villepinte on Sunday, where a police presence kept counter-demonstrators at a distance, as could be seen on TV pictures. More than 10,000 supporters of the extremist gathered in the exhibition hall, where Zemmour announced the name of his new movement »Reconquête«. France was on the brink of the abyss and the existence of the French was threatened, a "bigger fight than we" was necessary to save, said Zemmour.
Zemmour is very controversial in France.
The publicist sometimes represents extremely anti-migration and nationalist positions.
He has already been legally convicted of sedition on two occasions.
After he had overtaken the right-wing populist Marine Le Pen in the polls before the election next year, he has fallen back significantly in the past few weeks.
muk / AFP
