France clashes on May Day

The traditional rallies of May Day turned into extraordinary street fights in france ahead of the run-off presidential election on May 7.

This is because this year's May Day came as the results of the first round of voting on April 23 pit centrist Emmanuel Macron head-to-head with far-right candidate Marine Le Pen.

French voters who followed the old advice of voting with their hearts in the first round, then with their heads in the second, are now in the anxious process of a quick rethink. One of several popular new slogans and hashtags meant to dismiss the Macron-Le Pen contest as unacceptable and encourage people not to vote.

Before the second round of presidential elections the streets in france resembled battle fields among unsatisfied citizens and riot police.

There were also clashes between rival protesters.