On the eve of a rally in Nantes "for Steve and against police violence" that did not receive the support of the family of the deceased, the authorities warned on Friday, July 2, against the risks of overflowing. In front of the press, the prefect of Loire-Atlantique said he had "concordant information on the willingness of a number of groups of activists to do battle with the police."

Access to the city center of Nantes will be prohibited to "troublemakers" Saturday from 10 am to 20 pm, announced the prefecture, while two projects of rallies at 11 am and 13 pm were launched on social networks . Beyond the security aspect, the prefect Claude d'Harcourt refuses that "individuals steal from the community the moment of emotion that is desired by all of Steve's friends".

A rally without the family

Also, Master Cécile de Oliveira, the lawyer of the family of Steve Maia Caniço, said that the family "did not support at all" the rally on Saturday, like several relatives. Freeform, the national structure that accompanies the organization of festive gatherings, called for calm. "We would like to remind you that Steve's family and friends do not associate with it, but especially that, from our point of view, any overflow will serve the cause of justice."

Alexis Corbière, LFI MP, said he was "embarrassed" by this decision of the authorities, saying on BFM that "many people want to come together to express a desire for justice". But according to the Minister of the Interior, Christophe Castaner, "there is no ban on demonstrations (...), obviously tomorrow there is the possibility of organizing a rally (...) but this is framed to avoid overflowing and violence ".

>> Read: After Steve's death, the government justifies the police intervention and promises "all the light"

The excitement still alive

The minister also returned to the use of tear gas by the police, admitting that there was a "questioning" on their use. During the night of June 21st to 22nd, at 4:00 am, some 20 policemen had gone to the Wilson Wharf in Nantes to enforce the time limit for music broadcasting. Scuffles had erupted, participants in the sound system said they were blinded by tear gas and some had dropped in the Loire.

The emotion remains alive, four days after the discovery of the body of the young man on the banks of the Loire. The controversy over the intervention of the police or the report of the IGPN, police police, accused by some to clear the police, continues.

A participant removed from the survey?

For example, one participant on the evening of June 21 stated that he was excluded from the IGPN survey. According to him, he received no email from the IGPN while he wanted to give his testimony, a version denied by police police.

In a statement, the League of Human Rights says "to note that the IGPN has seized hundreds of complaints for many months without any follow-up, which shows that this institution attached to the Ministry of the Interior is no longer believable ".

Outside of Nantes, calls to protest in memory of Steve have multiplied in recent days throughout the country for this weekend: Toulouse, Caen, Le Havre, Montpellier, Paris Saturday or Tours and Rouen Sunday.

With AFP