French far-right leader Marine Le Pen vowed on Sunday to peacefully resist her five-year disqualification from public office, invoking the legacy of U.S. civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr. as thousands of her supporters marched through central Paris in protest.

Le Pen and 24 other members of her National Rally (RN) party were convicted last week by a Paris court of misusing European Union funds. The ruling, unless overturned on appeal, blocks Le Pen from competing in the 2027 French presidential election—where she was seen as a leading contender.

Speaking via video at a gathering of Italy’s anti-immigration Lega party in Florence, Le Pen declared, “We will follow the example of Martin Luther King. Our struggle will be peaceful, democratic, and determined—just like his fight for civil rights.”

In Paris, crowds waving French flags chanted "on va gagner" ("we will win") in a show of support for Le Pen, who has accused the judiciary of targeting her to eliminate her from political life. The rally, described as peaceful, was seen as a gauge of public sentiment regarding what Le Pen has framed as a politically motivated ruling.

“This is a mockery of justice,” said 79-year-old protester Marie-Claude Bonnefont. Political science student Typhaine Quere also expressed doubts about judicial neutrality, telling reporters, “The impartiality of the judges should really be questioned.”

While police did not release an official crowd estimate, event organizers claimed around 15,000 attendees turned out.

The court’s decision delivered a serious setback to the 56-year-old Le Pen, who remains one of the most prominent figures in Europe’s far-right movement. Despite the ruling, she has filed an appeal and pledged to exhaust every legal option in hopes of re-entering the 2027 race. The appeals court is expected to issue a final ruling by summer 2026.

A poll released Saturday by Elabe showed Le Pen still leading in projected first-round presidential voting, with support ranging between 32% and 36%, ahead of former Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, who polled between 20.5% and 24%.

However, her campaign’s rhetoric—particularly claims of a judicial “tyranny”—has failed to gain widespread traction. Public reaction to the court’s ruling has been largely indifferent or supportive of the justice system. According to a recent Odoxa survey, 65% of respondents said they were “not shocked” by the verdict, and 54% believed Le Pen was treated no differently than any other defendant.

Meanwhile, counter-protesters gathered at Place de la République, led by left-wing parties denouncing Le Pen’s criticisms of the judiciary. Centrist leaders, including former prime ministers Gabriel Attal and Edouard Philippe, also took a public stand, calling for the defense of democratic institutions.

“At a time when the far right is launching attacks on our judges and our institutions, we must reaffirm our commitment to political ethics and the rule of law,” Attal said.