Eggs thrown at French far-right firebrand on campaign trip

Protesters hurled eggs at French far-right leader Eric Zemmour on an election visit to the island of Corsica Saturday, an AFP reporter saw.

Zemmour was in Ajaccio to campaign ahead of the Euroupean elections in June when about 15 people started shouting abuse, said an AFP photograper.

"Water and eggs were thrown at him and a woman tried to push him," a police source told AFP, adding that the incident was very brief.

Corse-Matin newspaper posted a video in which Zemmour appeared to hit out at a woman.

A member of Zemmour's entourage said his reaction was "pure self-defence reflex".

"She comes up behind him, he doesn't know who it is, if it's an egg, a fist, a knife," said the associate.

Ajaccio prosecutor Nicolas Septe told AFP an investigation had been opened.

"There's the true face of the far left," Zemmour posted later on X, formerly Twitter. "Small, violent groups, who really want us dead."

Zemmour, who has been convicted several times for inciting racial hatred, continued his election walkabout followed by hecklers and riot police.

Polls give his far-right Reconquete (Reconquest) party between and five and six percent of voting intentions.