Police Use Tear Gas Against Radicals Protesting in Paris After Election

PARIS (Sputnik) - Clashes between radicals and law enforcement officers erupted in Paris after the announcement of preliminary presidential election results, with police having used tear gas against the demonstrators, a Sputnik correspondent reports.

The French presidential election runoff was held on Sunday. The French Interior Ministry said after processing 96 percent of the ballots in the second round of the election that Incumbent President Emmanuel Macron was in the lead with 57.24 percent of the votes, while far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen had secured 42.76 percent.

According to a Sputnik correspondent, young people started gathering in the Place de la Republique in the French capital after the preliminary results were announced. Slogans were heard both against Macron and Le Pen.

After midnight, about 100 people remained in the square, who were insulting law enforcement officers and chanting "We are anti-fascists!".

Police blocked all approaches to the square. The demonstrators were joined by young radicals from the black bloc group who started throwing objects at police. In response, law enforcement officers used tear gas against the protesters, according to a Sputnik correspondent.

According to French media reports, demonstrations were held in several other French cities on Sunday night. Hundreds of people protested both against Le Pen and Macron in the port city of Marseille, France 3 TV said, adding that police began dispersing the crowd at around 10 pm local time (20:00 GMT).

In Lyon, about 300 people gathered in the streets, including yellow vests, according to Progres. In Toulouse, about 400 protesters demonstrated against both Macron and Le Pen, according to France 3. Protests were also held in Nantes and Montpellier on Sunday night.

In Strasbourg about 150 people gathered in the central square (Place Kleber) on Sunday night, according to Dernieres Nouvelles d'Alsace. The demonstrators were against both Macron and Le Pen and included the left, anti-fascists, union members and yellow vests.

The French presidential election runoff was held on Sunday. During the first round, held on April 10, Macron won 27.84 percent, while Le Pen secured 23.15 percent of the votes.