It is a new weekend of demonstration which is announced.

Rallies "for freedom" and "against the health dictatorship" are scheduled this Saturday in more than 150 cities in France.

In the middle of summer, the processions have continued to gain in importance since the introduction, on July 21, of the pass (total vaccination, negative Covid-19 test or certificate of recovery) in certain places of leisure and culture.

With the final validation of the extension of the health pass by the Constitutional Council on Thursday, the mobilization should once again be important.

Already on July 31, demonstrations across the country had gathered more than 204,000 people, against 161,000 a week earlier, according to the Interior Ministry.

“We expect the same number of demonstrators globally,” predicts a police source.

Protest at risk in Paris

These demonstrations take place when 55% of French people say they are willing to present a health pass to go to cafes and restaurants and 63% to board a train or a plane, according to an Elabe survey for Les Echos, Radio Classique and the Institut Montaigne published on August 4. 20% of those polled also say “support” the protest movement, 17% feel “sympathy” towards it.

Four rallies are planned in the capital where the police headquarters is expecting 10,000 demonstrators and anticipates a particularly large attendance at the demonstration scheduled for 11 a.m. at the Pont de Neuilly metro station (Hauts-de-Seine), for a departure early in the afternoon. midday towards the center of Paris.

“It is the most risky event, especially of departures in wild processions.

We will pay particular attention to it, ”explained a police source who also mentions a particular“ vigilance ”around the Champs-Elysées.

On Twitter, Florian Philippot, ex n.2 of the RN and president of the Patriots, calls for a rally at 2:30 pm in front of the Military School (VIIth) to face “institutions which have betrayed everything”.

Demonstrations all over France

Like last week, the crowd should be particularly strong in Provence-Alpes-Côtes d'Azur, especially in Toulon, Montpellier and Nice. In Marseille, a demonstration, declared in part only, will start at 2 p.m. from the Old Port at the call of the SUD union and firefighters. No less than a dozen events are planned in Hauts-de-France, Aube and Ardennes, notably in Lille, Abbeville, Reims or Dunkirk.

In Saint-Brieuc, the protest is divided into two gatherings, one at the call of organizations and left-wing parties (Attac, Confédération paysanne, EELV, France Insoumise) as well as local “yellow vests”.

The other demonstration is organized by the movement of Florian Philippot and other radical right wing formations such as Debout la France or the Union Populaire Républicain of François Asselineau.

In Toulouse, demonstrators will protest not only against the health pass but also against the reform of unemployment insurance and pensions.

In Cambrai (North), between 60 and 70 traders, mainly restaurateurs, managers of bars or sports halls, do not intend to open Saturday, a "dead day" to mark their opposition to the control of the health pass in their establishments.

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  • Health pass

  • Covid 19

  • Anti-covid vaccine

  • Coronavirus

  • Gathering

  • Mobilization

  • Health

  • Expression