03:29Dozens of popular high street stores, insurance firms, and banks braced for violence as the second round of parliamentary elections approached in Paris, leading to a tense atmosphere in the capital's neighbourhoods.
"We're afraid! Last week, in the Rue de Rivoli, they did the same thing," said Moussa, a security guard.
Footage captured on Sunday shows shop owners protecting their storefronts with wooden planks and shutters, and preparing for potential unrest. Stores were seen with barricaded windows and doors.
"Often, that's what our customers are afraid of, that if the far right gets through, there could potentially be far-left groups demonstrating, and so there could also be violent groups that could come out of these demonstrations and potentially cause damage," added Ludovic, an entrepreneur.
Opinion polls suggested the anti-immigration National Rally could make further gains after coming top in the first round, ahead of the left-wing New Popular Front (NFP) and Macron's centrists in third. Voting starts at 8:00 local time and continues until 18:00 or 20:00 in major cities.
Preparing for trouble - Paris shops board up windows ahead of second round of elections.
Dozens of popular high street stores, insurance firms, and banks braced for violence as the second round of parliamentary elections approached in Paris, leading to a tense atmosphere in the capital's neighbourhoods.
"We're afraid! Last week, in the Rue de Rivoli, they did the same thing," said Moussa, a security guard.
Footage captured on Sunday shows shop owners protecting their storefronts with wooden planks and shutters, and preparing for potential unrest. Stores were seen with barricaded windows and doors.
"Often, that's what our customers are afraid of, that if the far right gets through, there could potentially be far-left groups demonstrating, and so there could also be violent groups that could come out of these demonstrations and potentially cause damage," added Ludovic, an entrepreneur.
Opinion polls suggested the anti-immigration National Rally could make further gains after coming top in the first round, ahead of the left-wing New Popular Front (NFP) and Macron's centrists in third. Voting starts at 8:00 local time and continues until 18:00 or 20:00 in major cities.
Dozens of popular high street stores, insurance firms, and banks braced for violence as the second round of parliamentary elections approached in Paris, leading to a tense atmosphere in the capital's neighbourhoods.
"We're afraid! Last week, in the Rue de Rivoli, they did the same thing," said Moussa, a security guard.
Footage captured on Sunday shows shop owners protecting their storefronts with wooden planks and shutters, and preparing for potential unrest. Stores were seen with barricaded windows and doors.
"Often, that's what our customers are afraid of, that if the far right gets through, there could potentially be far-left groups demonstrating, and so there could also be violent groups that could come out of these demonstrations and potentially cause damage," added Ludovic, an entrepreneur.
Opinion polls suggested the anti-immigration National Rally could make further gains after coming top in the first round, ahead of the left-wing New Popular Front (NFP) and Macron's centrists in third. Voting starts at 8:00 local time and continues until 18:00 or 20:00 in major cities.