Smoke and Flares Evident Amid Anti-Polanski Protests Outside Cesars Ceremony in Paris

There were clashes between police and protesters on February 28 outside the ceremony in Paris for the Cesars, the French equivalent of the Oscars, as demonstrators showed their anger at nominations for Roman Polanski, the Guardian reported.

Polanski’s movie An Officer and a Spy had been nominated for 12 awards, which had caused controversy. The director fled the United States in 1987 after being convicted of statutory rape of a 13-year-old girl.

A number of actors reportedly walked out of the ceremony after Polanski won the best director award. Credit: Sara Robinson via Storyful