Paris (AFP)

More than 140,000 people took to the streets of many cities in France to shout once again their refusal of the health pass on Saturday, a declining mobilization, a few days after the start of the school year and the launch of a vaccination campaign for those over 12 years.

At the end of the day, the Interior Ministry announced that it had counted 141,655 people through 215 gatherings, including 18,425 in Paris.

The mobilization recorded a decline for the 4th consecutive Saturday: last weekend nearly 160,000 demonstrators had been identified by the authorities, about 175,000 people two weeks ago and nearly 215,000 three weeks ago, according to the ministry.

In Paris, where five rallies were scheduled for this 8th Saturday of mobilization, thousands of demonstrators marched from the foot of the Eiffel Tower to the Invalides, at the call of the Patriots movement of Florian Philippot.

"We are boycotting this health pass (....) we will put a third dose of boycott. At the end of this health pass will fall", launched Mr. Philippot, promising to go "until the general strike if he the need ”, at the arrival of the procession, in which also participated the sovereignist Nicolas Dupont-Aignan or the lawyer Fabrice di Vizio, become hero of the antivaccines.

Along the way, some have hissed at customers in bars and restaurants, calling them "collaborators", AFP noted.

Composed of 500 people, most of them unmasked, according to an AFP journalist, another procession marched in the center of the capital, between the Stock Exchange and the Royal Palace.

Of similar size, a third event ended at Place de la Bastille.

In addition, isolated demonstrators infiltrated shortly before 5:00 p.m. in the Les Halles shopping center, leading to an intervention by the police, AFP noted.

Demonstration against the health pass in Paris, September 4, 2021 Thomas COEX AFP

In total, 21 people were arrested, including 3 in Paris, said the ministry.

A member of the security forces was slightly injured.

According to an Odoxa Backbone consulting study, published Thursday by Le Figaro, 67% of French people approve the Health Pass, which President Emmanuel Macron has not ruled out extending beyond November 15.

- "Russian roulette " -

In Marseille, 2,500 demonstrators left the Old Port, the vast majority without a mask, under a bright sun and with a lot of French flags.

"It's always no to the health pass, or sheep. No to discrimination. No to bullying: freedom", indicated a sign.

Demonstration against the health pass in Paris, September 4, 2021 Thomas COEX AFP

They were also 7,000 in Montpellier, 3,700 in Lyon, divided into two processions, 2,900 in Nice (against 2,200 last week), 2,700 in Lille, 2,400 in Nantes, according to the prefecture (3,950 last week), 2,200 in Aix-en -Provence (police), Toulon (prefecture) and Dijon (prefecture), 1,700 in Clermond-Ferrand (prefecture), 950 in Saint-Etienne (prefecture) and 700 in Saint-Nazaire.

In Rennes, there were 1,500 demonstrators (2,000 last week), according to the prefecture, where among the signs we could read "Injection mRNA, solution for depopulation?".

In Toulouse some 2,500 people (prefecture) demonstrated with the cry of "freedom!".

"The sanitary pass", "don't touch my kid", could be read on the signs.

In Bordeaux, they were 2,900 "at the height" of the demonstration, according to the prefecture, 1,500 in Besançon and 2,200 in Strasbourg, in the midst of numerous French flags and several Phrygian caps.

Flag of the agricultural union of the Confédération paysanne in hand, Dominique deplores "the fact that the population has been registered through a compulsory and excluding health pass".

According to him, at this stage, the vaccine is "Russian roulette".

"We are going to be fired on September 15, I find that totally unfair. We save lives, we are there for the population, and we find ourselves arrested, we no longer have the right to work just because the president has decided that we had to put aside, ”said Norbert, a 45-year-old firefighter who refused to give his name.

Demonstration against the health pass in Paris, September 4, 2021 THOMAS COEX AFP

"No to the Nazi pass", one could also read in Lille.

kp-meh-tll-bur / pga / cbn

© 2021 AFP