France is preparing for the second round of protests against government policies, both on education and economic issues, in the hope that the riots and widespread clashes of last Saturday will not be repeated.
However, confusion has reigned since Saturday morning regarding a demonstration scheduled to take place in the early afternoon in Paris. Police authorities announced last night a change in the demonstration’s route, prompting protests from labor unions, as well as from left-wing parties, which asked the courts to overturn the police’s decision this morning.
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The Paris Administrative Court, however, rejected the unions’ appeal and accepted the police authorities’ argument that the route change was necessary, taking into account, among other things, yesterday’srecent racist attack in the city of Trappes, where one person was killed and others were injured.
Specifically, as of last night, it was known that the demonstration in Paris—in which, in addition to the unions, student and school organizations as well as the “Yellow Vests” movement were participating— would start at Place de la Bastille and end at Place de la Nation. Last night, however, the police announced that the march would start at Place d’Italie and end in the Vincennes area. Ultimately, the unions decided to comply with the police authorities’ decisions.
The police have, moreover, authorized union demonstrations in several major French cities, including Marseille, Toulouse, Strasbourg, Lille, and Grenoble, but not in Lyon, where, however, protesters began gathering this morning and the police are already attempting to disperse them using tear gas.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez announced that 70,000 police officers will be on high alert, while helicopters and drones will be flying over the cities where demonstrations are scheduled to take place. A strong police presence has also already been deployed in Orléans, where a conference of the far-right National Rally—Marine Le Pen’s party—is taking place, and where more than 10,000 people are expected to gather, chanting anti-fascist slogans in opposition to the conference being held in the city. Leading figures from left-wing parties and labor unions are participating in this demonstration.
Amid this tense atmosphere, French Prime Minister Lecornu announced that he is convening an interministerial committee today to manage the crisis, while the Minister of the Interior, in a message to police officers, called on them to be extremely flexible and highly proactive, telling them that “I am aware of the acts of violence you will face.” The Minister also stated that, based on information available to police authorities, groups of protesters affiliated with the far left will be scattered throughout Paris, attempting to carry out acts of violence.
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Source: KYPE
