Half of French police 'back Front National' as Le Pen pledges to crackdown on street chaos

In an interview with France24, Le Pen’s campaign director, David Rachline, said that Front National are the party of the police and safe streets.

The 29-year-old politician, who is also mayor of the southern French town of Frejus, said: “We want the police to know we’re on their side and their claims are legitimate.

“It’s right they’re asking to be presumed innocent when they resort to self-defence. And they need more resources.”

Mr Rachline appears to strike a chord with those across the political spectrum, with his insistence to put France first, above all.

During a town hall meeting this week, he said: “The Calais camp was cleared using our money, it was given to the migrants.

“I would have liked that money to have gone to the French people. They are suffering too!”

Several police officers told the French news programme that citizens did not feel safe going outside.

They also mentioned that they feared for their own children walking to school in safety.

This comes amid growing tension between police officers and young citizens, after several recent anti-police brutality protests in Paris.

The rape of a young black man, named as Theo, by an officer using a trucheon was deemed an “accident” by a police investigation.

The verdict has further inflammed public sentiment towards police. 

A judge will decide on February 20 whether the accused policemen will face trial on charges of rape and aggravated assault.

Fury over the case has seen peaceful protests and violent riots, with fireworks thrown at police as cars and rubbish bins set on fire leading to dozens of arrests.

Bruno Le Roux, interior minister, said yesterday that police would be equipped with body cameras to patrol “sensitive areas”.