STUDENTS CLASHED IN THE STREETS OF PARIS TODAY (THURSDAY) AFTER A POLITICAL MEETING ADDRESSED BY M. JEAN-LOUIS TIXIER-VIGNANCOUR. THE SPEAKER IS A DEPUTY OF THE EXTREME RIGHT AND HE IS CONTESTING NEXT YEAR'S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS IN FRANCE. HE RECEIVED AN ENTHUSIASTIC HEARING FROM HIS AUDIENCE - MOST OF THEM STUDENTS.

THE MEETING WAS HELD AT THE PALAIS MUTUALITE - ON THE FRINGES OF PARIS FAMOUS LATIN QUARTER. WHEN THE STUDENTS LEFT THE MEETING THEY WERE GREETED BY A LARGE GROUP OF STUDENTS - MANY OF WHOM REPRESENTED THE EXTREME-LEFT. THEY JEERED AND SHOUTED AS THE AUDIENCE EMERGED. THE POLICE MOVED FORWARD APPREHENSIVELY AS ISOLATED SCUFFLES BROKE OUT IN THE CROWD. WITHIN MINUTES THE WHOLE STREET BECAME A MELEE AND THE POLICE DREW THEIR BATONS AS THEY MOVED INTO THE SHOUTING STUDENTS.

THE RIGHT-WING STUDENTS LATER MARCHED THROUGH THE LATIN QUARTER CARRYING BANNERS AND CHANTING "DE GAULLE IS A MURDERED" AND "DOWN WITH DE GAULLE".