From a balcony in Paris overlooking the statue of Joan of Arc four activists from feminist group FEMEN appeared topless above a huge banner that read "Sextermination for Nazism" on Sunday afternoon.
A rally was organised by far-right groups in honour of St. Joan of Arc's Catholic feast day. Attendees at the commemorative rally were to congregate at Place des Pyramides where there is an equestrian statue of the saint.
As people arrived at the square, FEMEN revealed their bare breasts from the fourth floor of a Haussmann building. On their chests they had written: "sextermination". They also set off smoking flares provoking jeers and insults from hundreds of far-right activists who in response chanted: "FEMEN whores".
Joan of Arc is a French icon from medieval times and has become a symbol used by the far right National Front political party.
There was a high amount of security at the entrance to the building to prevent anti-FEMEN activists from entering. After half an hour the FEMEN activists were removed from the balcony by a large scale ladder provided by the fire services.
