The authorities' ban, confirmed in court, did not stop them.

Supporters for the Palestinians gathered in Paris on Saturday afternoon, May 15, immediately dispersed by the police, while several other gatherings, authorized, take place across France.

In total, the demonstrations brought together some 22,000 people in France, including 2,500 to 3,500 in Paris, the Interior Ministry said on Saturday evening.

The most important gatherings took place in Strasbourg (4,000 demonstrators), Marseille (1,500), Lyon and Nantes (1,000), the ministry said.

A total of 51 people were arrested, including 44 in Paris.

There were two "light injuries" among the police: an agent of the BAC in Nice and a mobile gendarme in Paris, it was added. 

"Because we refuse to silence our solidarity with the Palestinians, and that we will not be prevented from demonstrating, we will be present (at the metro) Barbès" Saturday "at 3 pm", had launched the Association of Palestinians in the Island -de-France, as well as around thirty other organizations, such as Attac, the Paris-Banlieue Antifascist Action, the New Anticapitalist Party.

Shortly before 3 p.m., on the spot, the massive police deployment was visible throughout the neighborhood.

In total, 4,200 police officers and gendarmes are mobilized, according to the police headquarters, who have instructions for "immediate dispersal" as soon as demonstrators try to regroup, using the "water launcher", or to issue a ticket. height of 135 euros.

Impressive police force in #Barbes after the call for a rally in support of the Palestinian people, banned by the authorities.



Several water cannons, closed metro stations, police and gendarmes by the hundreds.

#Palestine pic.twitter.com/1taNomKT7K

- Remy Buisine (@RemyBuisine) May 15, 2021

"They clearly want to let the situation rot"

"Evacuate the square", calls a policeman in a red Megaphone Place du Château.

The water cannon was used, AFP journalists noted, according to which face-to-face meetings between demonstrators and the police took place in small streets leading to Boulevard Barbès (18th arrondissement).

Checks took place on the surrounding boulevard by the police, who filtered out pedestrians wanting to go to the Barbès crossroads. 

In addition, the police headquarters issued an order to close shops in the Barbès-Rochechouart sector, from noon. 

The ban on demonstrating in the capital was taken Thursday evening by the Paris police prefect, Didier Lallement, at the request of the Minister of the Interior, Gerald Darmanin for "risk of unrest". It was put forward the precedent of 2014, when a pro-Palestinian demonstration in Paris degenerated into urban violence.

The organizers held a press conference early in the afternoon to reaffirm their "solidarity" as, in the Palestinian territories, "the massacre continues".

One of the organizers, Walid Attalah, repeated their intention to demonstrate "peacefully", up to the Place de la Bastille, and denounced the attitude of the authorities: "They clearly want to let the situation deteriorate and that there be overflows, "he said.

"All over the world, demonstrations of support have been held, France is an exception, it is also against (that) that we are mobilizing", hammered Julien Salingue (NPA), another organizer.

"This ban decision is intolerable and infringing on public freedoms. Because we refuse to silence our solidarity with the Palestinians, and we will not be prevented from demonstrating, we will be present in Barbes tomorrow at 3 p.m." https: //t.co/Urq9jV49gC

- Julien Salingue (@juliensalingue) May 14, 2021

"Risks of serious disturbances"

Seized in interim relief by the Association of Palestinians in Île-de-France, the administrative court confirmed, Friday, this ban

Another association, which had also planned a demonstration in another district of Paris, the ban of which was also confirmed by the administrative court, lodged an appeal with the Council of State, examined from 1 p.m.

The administrative tribunal justified its decision by arguing that the context "both international and domestic" did not allow "to estimate that the risks of serious disturbances" would not "be as important or even greater than those found in 2014".

Other demonstrations have been banned, such as in Nice, or in Aubervilliers and Montreuil, in Seine-Saint-Denis. 

On the other hand, demonstrations or gatherings have been authorized in many cities.

Thus, several hundred people, Palestinian flags - even umbrellas of the same colors - in hand, gathered in the rain in Toulouse to express their opposition to "colonialism, racism and apartheid".

"Save Gaza", "No one is free when others are oppressed" or "Palestinian lives matter" read the signs.

Gatherings also took place in Lyon, Bordeaux, Marseille, Nantes, Rennes, Lille, Metz, Saint-Étienne, or Strasbourg.

Lille in the colors of Palestine 🇵🇸


The songs ya Qudsu of Faïruz and the freedom of Soolking accompany the songs of the demonstrators #Palestine pic.twitter.com/u5PCBzbtsl

- Narjis El Asraoui (@Narjiselasraoui) May 15, 2021

With AFP

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