French anti-riot policemen stand guard the street during a demonstration for a "social first round" of the French presidential election on April 22, 2017 on the place de la Republique in Paris. France was on edge on April 22 on the eve of its most unpredictable presidential election in decades, which will take place under heightened security after the jihadist killing of a policeman.
France is ramping up security for Sunday's vote in the first round of the presidential election – with more than 50,000 police officers and 7,000 soldiers set to patrol polling stations across the country.
Security was already heightened in Paris on Saturday. Several metro stations around the Place de la République were closed as police tried to limit the number of people entering the plaza. At the Gare du Nord train station, police tackled a man carrying a knife, prompting a brief panic among some travellers who ran off, leaving their bags behind.
Dozens of police in riot gear also surrounded a demonstration by a group of labour activists and students on Saturday afternoon. As the protesters, numbering a few hundred, made their way along the street to the Place de la Bastille, some began throwing rocks at police officers, who responded with tear gas. The streets around the Bastille monument were sealed off for hours by rows of police vans until the crowd eventually dispersed.
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"This election will be decided here on the streets by the people," said one protester who is supporting far-left candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon in Sunday's election. Another man marvelled at the number of police surrounding the rally and shook his head when officers prevented a man from selling hot food from a small grill.
Polls show the presidential race remains a four-way battle between Marine Le Pen of the National Front, Emmanuel Macron of En Marche!, the Republican's François Fillon, and Mr. Mélenchon, who is running under the banner of la France Insoumise, or Unsubmissive France. If no candidate gets more than 50 per cent of the vote, the top two finishers will advance to a runoff on May 7. No candidate has ever won on the first round and most polls favour Mr. Macron to face off against Ms. Le Pen.
French law forbids campaigning in the 24 hours before voting day, but most of the campaigns had suspended their activities on Friday, the day after three police officers were shot in a terrorist attack near the Arc de Triomphe, which left one officer dead. The attack has set the country on edge.
The perpetrator, Karim Cheurfi, was killed and police said he left behind a note praising Islamic State, which claimed responsibility for the attack. Mr. Cheurfi, 39, was born in France and had recently served 14 years in jail for trying to kill police officers. Officials said there were no indications he had been radicalized and he was not on the country's terrorism watch list. Police are trying to find out if he had any accomplices.
Polls open at 8 a.m. on Sunday and close at 7 p.m., except in some larger cities, where they close an hour later. Voting began on Saturday in some overseas territories, including on the islands of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Results from exit polling are expected at 8 p.m. There are around 47 million registered voters.