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Former French general held at Calais anti-Islam rally

General Christian Piquemal, who was head of French Foreign legion in 1980s, says he was 'shocked' by police behaviour at banned protest.

La rédaction de Mediapart

This article is freely available.

A former French general has been arrested with about 20 other protesters at a banned anti-Islam rally in the city of Calais, reports the BBC.

General Christian Piquemal, who headed the Legion in the 1990s, was held after scuffles began with police in the northern city.

Thousands of migrants are living in a Calais camp known as the "Jungle".

The rally was one of many held across Europe against what participants say is the "Islamisation" of the continent.

They were staged after the anti-Islamic Pegida group urged members and sympathisers to publicly voice their concerns.

Saturday's rally in Calais came amid increasing hostility to migrants in the area, with French prosecutors investigating at least six assaults on people living in the Jungle.

Read more of this report from the BBC.