Violence as French far-right TV pundit holds campaign rally

Supporters of French presidential candidate Eric Zemmour wave posters and flags during the candidate’s first rally (Rafael Yaghobzadeh/AP)

Anti-racism activists were beaten up on Sunday as far-right former French TV pundit Eric Zemmour held his first presidential campaign rally near Paris, a few days after he formally declared his candidacy in a video highlighting his anti-migrant and anti-Islam views.

Mr Zemmour has drawn comparisons in France to former US president Donald Trump because of his populism and ambitions of making the jump from the small screen to national leadership in France’s presidential election in April.