Carrying banners and slogans against Israel and in support of Gazans, participants marched to Châtelet Square, an area bombarded and under a total blockade for three weeks in retaliation for the Hamas movement’s attack on October 7.
A large police presence prevented demonstrators from marching to the Plaza de la República, as was the organizers’ stated goal.
Dozens of people were fined after the prefecture warned on social media that the march had not been authorized, a measure ratified by the Paris Administrative Court on Saturday in response to a legal challenge from lawyers.
“Gaza, we are with you” and “Israel murderers” rang out at the event, which was seen by Prefect Laurent Nuñez as a threat to public order due to the alleged risk of it being an event in support of Hamas would be accused of terrorism by the French government. and the West in general.
According to Nuñez, the organizing organizations stoked this perceived fear, including Capjpo-Europalestin, the representation of the Front for the Liberation of Palestine and the New Anti-Capitalist Party in France.
The humanitarian crisis and the escalation of the Israeli military operation in the last hours against Gaza, in which more than seven thousand civilians were killed, are causing denial on French soil, where there have also been expressions of support for Israel and calls for the release of Hamas hostages.
President Emmanuel Macron noted yesterday that approving or not approving pro-Palestinian marches would be done on a case-by-case basis based on an opinion from the Council of State, recalling that at least two have already been approved.
In his opinion, the government’s interest is to maintain unity and avoid an expansion of the conflict, considering that France has large Jewish and Muslim communities, among the largest in Europe.
rgh/wmr