France's gilets jaunes protests scrutinised as antisemites take part in demonstrations

Elsewhere, protestors waved placards expressing anti-Rothschild messages – often seen as a coded form of antisemitism.

Other marchers have used President Emmanuel Macron’s connection with the Rothschild family in a derogatory manner, on social media and in television interviews.

Between 2008 and 2012 Mr Macron held a number of positions at Rothschild and Cie Banque, eventually becoming its managing director.

Journalist Ben Judah said: "The Gilets Jaunes online world is riddled with antisemitic memes and statements."

He said he had seen one message that said: "Macron is the President of the Jews."

Uncomfortable fact for excited leftists — the Gilets Jaunes online world is riddled with antisemitic memes and statements. “Macron is the President of the Jews,” is a pretty major theme there.

— Ben Judah (@b_judah) December 8, 2018

Left-wing blog Harry's Place shared its own search for antisemitic messages.

The JC searched on Twitter on Sunday for antisemitic pro-Gilets Jaunes messages and immediately found a supporter who had just tweeted minutes earlier about the need to "end Jewish control".

French security forces have flooded into Paris to contain a fourth consecutive weekend of anti-Macron protests. Participants have been dubbed gilets jaunes, for the yellow hi-vis jackets they wear.

Initially motivated by rising fuel prices and high living costs, the movement has morphed into a broader anti-establishment protest.

Although the 280,000-strong movement has attracted extremists on both sides, it is not affiliated with any one political or ideological school.