Described as a show of force by Le Parisien, the meeting of Eric Zemmour in Villepinte (Seine-Saint-Denis) on December 5, 2021 has, as expected, spilled much ink. Welcomed by a jubilant crowd – 15,000 people according to the media – the presidential candidate was also jostled upon his arrival, just before taking the stand. According to those around him, he was injured in the wrist and has 9 days of temporary work interruption. But that did not change his smile on the stage, showing at the same time a new look: small glasses with thin frames – to better read his teleprompter? Zemmour 2.0 made the show, affirming its positions and its support, a meeting however marked by violent incidents.
“France is back“, Eric Zemmour launched to his thousands of supporters after being officially declared Tuesday with a very controversial video. Credited with 13% of the vote for the presidential election in April, he presents himself as the”small grain of sand” of the “machine“presidential, the far-right candidate addressed those who have”braved political correctness, threats from the far left, hatred of the media“, reports AFP.”Impossible is not French“repeated the candidate with an expression attributed to Napoleon which has become his campaign slogan, in front of his activists who chanted” Zemmour president “or” we are at home “.
With the logo of an olive branch – the meaning of the name Zemmour in Berber – his new party was baptized “Reconquest!”, A name which can evoke the Spanish Christian “reconquista” in the Middle Ages. Membership has been set at 30 euros. Eric Zemmour blasted “globalism“, “thee living together” and “mass immigration“. But disputed to be”fascist“, saying”the only one to defend the freedom to think“, Where “misogynist“, paying homage to his mother who has”transmitted an immoderate love of France“. Same challenge to be”racist“when he wants”defend an inheritance“. The candidate praised the”courage“of his troops while”the pack is now on the hunt“.”My opponents want my political death, the journalists want my social death, and the jihadists want my death at all“. He said to himself”ready to take control“from the country to meet two”fears” who “haunt the French“,”that of the great downgrading (…) and that of the great replacement with the Islamization of France and mass immigration“. He promised a”zero immigration“and the”reindustrialisation” from France.
Distance and meetings
Eric Zemmour, whose calendar was modeled on the LR congress, also attacked the new LR candidate Valérie Pécresse who, like his “mentor” Jacques Chirac, “will promise everything and get nothing“. The financier Charles Gave withdrew his support and the sovereignist Philippe de Villiers was not present on Sunday. But several personalities from the Manif pour tous, opposed to same-sex marriage, came: the former conservative deputy Jean-Frédéric Poisson welcomed having with others “installed the stakes of civilization at the heart of the presidential campaign“Laurence Trochu, president of the Conservative Movement, associated until now with LR, denounced the” ideological decomposition of the right “while the figure of” yellow vests “Jacline Mouraud denounced the”happy globalization, trojan horse of foreigners“. Eric Zemmour will travel to the Lyon region on Tuesday, December 7.
Violent incidents
His meeting was marked by a series of incidents. Before the meeting started, a team from the show “Quotidien” was booed by the public, before being briefly sheltered, AFP noted. SOS Racism activists leading an action that was intended to be “non-violent” were attacked by participants. Five people were injured, including two taken care of by firefighters, according to the association. The left and members of the presidential majority have pointed to the responsibility of Eric Zemmour who gives “legitimacy to this violence”. These people from SOS Racisme “did not have to be there, we must not come and provoke“responded Antoine Diers, from Eric Zemmour’s campaign team.
A dense security system had been deployed in Villepinte. Tensions nevertheless erupted at midday between dozens of opponents to the arrival of Eric Zemmour and the police, in front of the RER station. There were a total of 57 arrests and 79 verbalizations for prohibited demonstration, according to the police headquarters at the end of the day. In Paris, some 2,200 demonstrators according to the prefecture, 10,000 according to the organizers, gathered in peace to denounce the speech in their eyes “racist” Eric Zemmour, at the call of fifty unions, parties and associations. The meeting makes it possible to measure the rallies, while the organization, led in particular by Sarah Knafo, is criticized internally for its fragility and that more radical activists have integrated the campaign.