Marine Le Pen blames 'leftists' for arson attack on Paris campaign HQ

National Front leader points the finger at opponents of the far right, just days after presidential hopeful provoked widespread anger with Holocaust comments

Ms Le Pen gave no detail and did not say why she believed one such group was responsible for the attack (Getty)

Police are investigating a suspected arson attack on the Paris headquarters of far-right French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen.

The National Front leader accused “leftists” of carrying out the attack, and news agency AFP said a group calling itself “Combat xenophobia” contacted them to claim responsibility.

The ground floor of the central Paris building was targeted and graffiti mentioning Ms Le Pen’s National Front was found nearby.

A police source said the damage – to a door and a doormat, according to AFP – was likely to be the result of a criminal act and not an accident.

The party’s premises are higher up in the building.

Interior Minister Matthias Fekl condemned the attack.

“These are unacceptable acts, the democratic debate must take place in the ballot box,” Mr Fekl told RTL radio, without giving any details about the attack itself.

He added: “We have been in touch with the National Front candidate’s team since last night and will see with them if it is necessary to strengthen security procedures.”

Ms Le Pen told France 2 television she believed a leftist group was responsible, but she gave no detail and did not say why she believed one such group was responsible.

“I assume this is due to a small leftist group,” she said. “These groups act in total impunity,” she added, saying that the government should dissolve them.

Ms Le Pen recently provoked widespread anger by denying France was responsible for rounding up thousands of Jews to be sent to Nazi death camps during the Holocaust.

But despite courting controversy, she is seen as leading the first round of the presidential election at 24 per cent, with the vote scheduled for 23 April.

Additional reporting by Reuters