A LA TRUMP

Éric Zemmour, Far Right French Presidential Candidate, Put in Headlock at Violent Rally

Leader of newly minted “Reconquest” party is also on trial for inciting racial hatred.

A French far-right presidential candidate was grabbed by a crowd member who briefly put him in a headlock at his first political rally on Sunday. Éric Zemmour, who has previous racial hatred convictions and is on trial for describing unaccompanied child migrants as “thieves,” “killers,” and “rapists” on TV, has electrified the country’s presidential race since he entered it on an anti-migrant platform. Polls suggest either he or established National Front politician Marine Le Pen could face Emmanuel Macron in a run-off vote in next spring’s elections. Zemmour delivered an hour-long speech in which he said he would call his new party “Reconquest,” saying: “The reconquest is now underway. The reconquest of our economy, the reconquest of our security, the reconquest of our identity, the reconquest of our sovereignty, the reconquest of our country.” The violent rally saw Zemmour’s supporters throw chairs at anti-racism protestors. Five people were injured, reports said.