Grenoble: a bus of RN supporters damaged by hooded activists, before its departure for the party congress in Orléans

A bus intended to transport supporters of the National Rally to the party congress in Orléans was damaged early Sunday in Grenoble by hooded activists who fled, AFP learned from the police and the prosecutor's office. All of the vehicle's windows were broken by a group of around ten “hooded and gloved antifa activists” while 11 people were inside. The damage caused no injuries but made the bus “unusable”, according to a police source.

The events took place around 5 a.m. and the perpetrators fled, according to the same source. An investigation was opened “into counts of aggravated willful violence and destruction of the property of others”, indicated for her part the deputy public prosecutor of Grenoble, Marianne Thirard, without further details on the facts. Contacted by AFP, the local representation of the RN did not wish to comment immediately.

The National Rally congress which opened in Orléans on Saturday saw the unsurprising re-election of Jordan Bardella as party leader. The runner-up to Marine Le Pen, well ahead of voting intentions in the presidential election, was confirmed with a large score of 98.98%, with no rival in front. Enough to make him forget the turmoil of recent weeks marked in particular by accusations of anti-Semitic writings, which he refutes.

Outside, a long morning of demonstration took place which peacefully brought together 13,000 people according to the authorities, 26,000 according to the organizers. The procession “brought together far fewer people than was announced”, according to Mayor Serge Grouard (DVD) while the authorities anticipated up to 30,000 participants. “People dispersed peacefully,” he added.