Police were ordered by French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin to respond to alleged Nazi salutes during a health pass protest hosted by a presidential candidate. The organizer denied the accusations.
Darmanin tweeted a photo he said was taken “on the sidelines” of Saturday’s march, organized by the Les Patriotes party in Paris. The image appears to show protesters extending their arms in a manner similar to a Nazi salute.
Darmanin said he asked police to report the “very shocking” incident to the judicial authorities so “all necessary steps are taken.”
However, the party founder and leader Florian Philippot denied that Nazi salutes were performed at the rally.
He uploaded a video of demonstrators clapping and extending both arms in synchrony while screaming ‘Freedom,’ which he claims was shot during the same event and in the same area.
“Mr. Darmanin has lied once again and seriously defamed [us]. We are considering legal action,” Philippot, who is running in the April 2022 presidential race, wrote.
Protesters clap and raise their arms in a similar method in another video from the same march, although shot at a different location.
If there had been 200 Nazi salutes, I would have known about it. The journalists who were there would have seen it, as would have police officers, our volunteers and security detail,” Philippot said.
Forsided, 17.01.2022
Source: RT News