A few dozen people protesting against far-right candidate Marine Le Pen clashed with police preventing them from heading to the entertainment complex in eastern Paris where she was holding an evening rally.

Hundreds of riot police in full gear were posted around the rally's site. They dispersed the demonstrators with tear gas.

Inside the complex, the crowd waves flags and chanted "we're in our land" as they waited for the event to start.

Le Pen has been jostling with Emmanuel Macron for the lead in polls, while hard-left rival Jean-Luc Melenchon and conservative Francois Fillon begin to close the gap.