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France: Police banned demonstrations in Place de la Concorde

Police today banned protest rallies in the Place de la Concorde, Paris’s biggest square, as well as the Champs-Élysées, after two consecutive nights of unrest in the French capital.

“Due to the serious risk of disruption of order and public security (…) any gathering in a public place in the Place de la Concorde and the surrounding area, as well as in the Champs-Élysées sector, is prohibited,” the statement said. “Persons who attempt to gather there will be systematically removed by the forces of order” and may be given a verbal recommendation, the police added.

On Friday night, as on the previous night, thousands of people gathered in the Place de la Concorde. They followed clashes with police, with protesters throwing bottles and firecrackers and police responding with tear gas in an attempt to disperse the crowd. Police announced 61 arrests.

On Thursday, 10,000 protesters gathered in the same spot, near the National Assembly building, and police reported 258 arrests.

The French government decided on Thursday to adopt, with a legislative act, the pension reform. For this purpose, he appealed to article 49.3 of the Constitution which enables laws to be approved without a vote in the National Assembly, except if a motion of censure against the government is passed.

Today, the strike by workers at TotalEnergies refineries, as well as on the railways, continues. A demonstration is planned in the Place d’Itali, in southern Paris, in the late afternoon.

Earlier, a group of students and activists from the Permanent Revolution collective stormed the Forum des Halles shopping center holding placards and chanting “Paris, rise up”.

The BFM television channel showed footage of demonstrations in Compiègne, Nantes and Marseille.

“There is no place for violence. We must respect parliamentary democracy,” said Minister of Digital Transition and Telecommunications Jean-Noel Barot speaking to the Sud radio station.

The unions say they will continue their actions and have called a general strike next Thursday.

Source: News Beast

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