“Fortress” in Paris for the “Convoy of Freedom” – Thousands of police and armored vehicles

THE France mobilized thousands of police, armored personnel carriers and water jets in Paris on Friday (11/2) to do not allow the convoys of vehicles heading to the French capital to arrive as part of a protest against coronavirus restrictions.

Checkpoints toll booths were erected at the entrances to the city, while metal railings were placed in the center of Paris, in view of the marches that the protesters intend to take over the weekend, broadcasts APE-MPE.

Inspired by Freedom Convoy demonstrations in Canada, Drivers, from various cities in France, are expected to gather outside Paris today and intend to defy the police order not to enter the city.

As soon as it got dark, the police started checking the drivers’ documents in various places leading to the city center. More than 7,000 police officers will be mobilized over the next 72 hours.

The convoy participants shared information on social media about how they can enter the city undisturbed, avoiding the police presence, while Prime Minister Jean Castex warned the protesters not to try to cause traffic jams on the streets of Paris.

“It’s a constitutional right to protest. “Causing traffic jams is not,” he told France 2 TV.

Macron appeals for calm to prevail

At the same time, French President Emmanuel Macron today called for “calm” as the convoys headed to Paris, with protesters seeking to protest the vaccine or the government.

In an interview with the newspaper Ouest-France, the head of state of France stressed that France “needs unity, collective goodwill”, noting that he “listens and respects” the “fatigue” and “anger” associated with the health crisis.

“We are all collectively tired of what we have been living for two years. This fatigue is expressed in many ways: from upset to some, from depression to others. We see a very strong mental pain, between our young and the young. And in some cases, that fatigue also translates to anger. “I listen to it and I respect it,” said Emanuel Macron.

“But I call for maximum calm.”

“Claims are always legal. We have always protected the right to demonstration, democratic pluralism, parliamentary dialogue during this period. “But we need unity, great collective goodwill,” concluded the French head of state.

Asked by Ouest-France about the state of health, the French president stressed that we can not “say today” that the epidemic “ended, as long as hospitals do not see the number of cases greatly reduced, the rescheduling of operations to begin and again the ICUs to record less overcrowding “.

The removal of the vaccine pass “will depend on the hospital”, when it will “reopen as normally as possible”.

Source: News Beast

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