PARIS, May 1: More than one million people took to the streets across France on Wednesday in a massive show of opposition to far-right presidential contender Jean-Marie Le Pen, according to Interior Ministry figures.
The ministry said about 10,000 supporters of Le Pen’s anti-immigrant National Front party had also marched in Paris. Police dismissed a claim from Le Pen’s party itself that put the turnout at its rally in the capital at 120,000.
The ministry said 870,000 people had taken part in rallies in more than 100 towns and many villages across the country, excluding Paris where the main protest started later.
By mid-afternoon, the ministry said, about 200,000 had gathered at the capital’s Place de la Republique.
That made May Day by far the biggest single day of protests against Le Pen since he won through on April 21 to Sunday’s runoff against incumbent conservative President Jacques Chirac.
The previous highest turnout on a single day was around 350,000 last Thursday.—Reuters
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