France's Marine Le Pen on Sunday invoked Martin Luther King's struggle for civil rights as her far-right party planned to rally its supporters after she was convicted of embezzlement and banned from public office.

The bombshell judgement that could crush Le Pen's dream of winning the French presidency in 2027 has stunned the country's political establishment.

Some leftwing forces and the centrist camp staged counter gatherings on Sunday against the far right, while the judges who convicted Le Pen have received threats.

On Sunday, ahead of the rally, Le Pen urged her supporters to take inspiration from one of America's pre-eminent advocates of nonviolence in the fight for equal rights for black Americans.

"We will follow the example of Martin Luther King, who defended civil rights," she told members of Italy's hard-right League party, who were meeting in Florence, via video-link.

"Thank you, Marine, we don't want to take up any more of your time," said Italian deputy prime minister, League leader Matteo Salvini.

"Today will........

© International Business Times