NATO flag is cut during rally of "thousands" of people in Paris

A large demonstration has begun in Paris against France's NATO membership and the supply of weapons to Ukraine. Organizer Florian Philippot said it was the largest demonstration so far, with about 10,000 participants. According to him, 25 smaller anti-NATO rallies took place in other parts of France on the same day.

The crowd chanted slogans such as "No planes, no tanks, no missiles for Ukraine," "Get out of NATO," "Macron, we don't want your war," and "No to World War III," to name a few. Philippot took the stage and cut the blue NATO flag in half to cheers from the demonstrators. "NATO means war," he proclaimed.

President Emmanuel Macron spoke of the need to reach a ceasefire that would not "humiliate" Russia, yet was one of the leading suppliers of heavy weapons to Ukraine among EU nations.