Earlier in the day, the march organized by the Yellow Vests movement started at the Place de la Nation square and ended at the Place de la Republique. The protesters not only voiced their objection to the presidential candidacy of the right-wing National Rally party leader Marine Le Pen but also chanted "Neither [French President Emmanuel] Macron, nor Le Pen" and called for boycotting the second tour of the presidential election.
According to the BFMTV broadcaster, citing the police, the protest was attended by 9,200 people.
The demonstration was held back by police cordons and was overall peaceful until the radical Black Bloc youth joined the crowd, provoking the police and throwing bottles at the officers. The police responded by using tear gas several times.
Later, a Sputnik correspondent reported that the police once again used tear gas to disperse radical protesters at the Place de la Republique.
On 10 April, France held the first round of the presidential election. Incumbent President Emmanuel Macron received 27.84% of the vote and Le Pen 23.15%, which means they will face one another in the second round on 24 April.