Paris extreme-right leader held by police over Zemmour rally violence

French police were on Wednesday holding the leader of a Paris extreme-right movement on suspicion of being behind violence against anti-racism activists at the rally of far-right presidential candidate Eric Zemmour earlier this month.

Marc de Cacqueray-Valmenier, leader of the so-called Zouaves Paris which takes its name from elite units of French troops who fought in Africa in the 19th century, was detained on Tuesday, a French police source told AFP, asking not to be named.

The arrest comes after France's Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin announced at the weekend he would seek a formal order to ban the Zouaves Paris, who were formed in 2018 in succession to the GUD, a former extreme-right student union.

De Cacqueray-Valmenier had been identified by several media on footage showing aggression to activists from SOS Racisme at the 5 December rally by Zemmour shortly after the controversial pundit announced his candidacy for 2022 presidential elections.

Zemmour is accused by opponents of being a racist, allegations he denies. He has, however, repeatedly criticised Islam and immigration which he says are harming French identity.

The rally was marked by clashes with anti-racism activists and Zemmour himself was at one point put in a headlock and suffered an injury to his wrist.

De Cacqueray-Valmenier, 23, was already given a suspended sentence in January 2019 over violence in a protest and is also on trial over an attack with a baseball bat.

A shocking video featuring French far-right pundit Eric Zemmour surfaced today on social media, sparking controversy.https://t.co/fwuioWRL3d

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He has also boasted on his Instagram account of in 2020 travelling to the southern Caucasus to fight with Armenians against Muslim Azerbaijan for control of the Azerbaijani territory of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Zemmour's campaign enjoyed a surge in popularity ahead of the declaration of his candidacy but his popularity appears to have slackened in recent weeks.