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Police clash with students protesting election in Paris

Thursday, 27 April 2017 5:43 PM [ Last Update: Thursday, 27 April 2017 6:16 PM ]

French students stand amid smoke during a demonstration in Paris on April 27, 2017 to protest against the results of the first round of the country's presidential election.

A series of violent clashes have erupted in the French capital, Paris, between riot police and protesting students during a demonstration against the results of the first round of the country’s presidential election.

The police forces fired tear gas to disperse the protesters, who raged at both far-right presidential hopeful, Marine Le Pen, and her centrist rival Emanuel Macron in France's upcoming run-off election.

Black-clad demonstrators hurled bottles at police forces, smashed storefronts and set rubbish bins alight.

Some students held banners and waved signs that read "Neither the banker, nor the racist," referring to Macron and Le Pen respectively.

They expressed their anger at Le Pen’s anti-immigration policies, and accused her of spreading extreme-right populism around Europe. The protesting students also slammed Macron for his economic policies, arguing that he would worsen the country’s economic situation.

People throw glass bottles at police during a demonstration in Paris on April 27, 2017. (Photo by AFP)

A 17-year-old student at the rally said, "I don't agree with either of them. I think it's a matter of choosing between the lesser of two evils.”

One student blocking the entrance of a high school in Paris said Macron was "definitely not liked by people who are not so well-off, with his haughty tone."

French gendarmes stand in front of students taking part in a demonstration in Paris on April 27, 2017 (Photo by AFP)

There were demonstrations or blockade at about 20 high schools in the Paris area earlier on Thursday, after student unions urged them to turn out.

Students hold a placard reading "Neither banker, nor racist" during a demonstration in Paris on April 27, 2017. (Photo by AFP)

Students have been holding "neither Le Pen, nor Macron" protests at high schools since the two qualified on Sunday for a May 7 runoff vote in France's two-stage presidential election.

Macron took 23.75 percent of votes in the first round, ahead of Le Pen, who won 21.53 percent during the first round of the election.

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