A demonstration of support for the Afghan people which was to be held Sunday, August 29 in Paris, on the initiative of several associations – Solidarity and Cultural Association of Afghans in Paris, Children of Afghanistan and elsewhere, Watizat, among others -, a been banned by the police headquarters.
A first demonstration in the capital had taken place a week earlier, on the Place de la République. To the cries of “Afghan lives matter” (“Afghan lives matter”), several hundred people had gathered to demand the immediate evacuation to France of Afghan families threatened by the Taliban.
For the demonstration of Sunday, August 29, which they announced larger than the first, the organizers had submitted a request to the prefecture in which they proposed three possible starting points – République, Bastille, Montparnasse – for a march that was to take place. finish under the windows of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Quai d’Orsay.
In its prohibition order dating from Friday, the Paris police prefecture considers that “The three planned routes have not been declared precisely, being limited to mentioning the start and the end of the route”. To justify its decision, the prefecture also invokes the “Risk of disturbances to public order, given the particular geopolitical context in Afghanistan”, the fact that the routes planned to pass “In the immediate vicinity of sensitive institutional and government places”, and that the police were already “Very strongly mobilized” this sunday for “Ensure strict compliance with health security measures” and for “Ensure the security of other events and demonstrations”.
“A political decision”, according to the organizers
The Prefecture proposed that, instead of the planned march, be organized a new static gathering at Place de la République, a proposal refused by the organizers, for whom the idea of a march and that of an arrival in front of the Quai d ‘ Orsay were essential, a week after a first gathering “Diluted”, according to them, in the midst of three other demonstrations that took place on the same day at the same place.
Houssam El-Assimi, from the La Chapelle Debout collective, co-organizer of the event, denounces “A political decision” aiming to suffocate “An incipient mobilization which would have the consequence of highlighting the negligence of the government and the fact that it does not respect the legal minimum on family reunification”. “There is a government communication plan, explains Mr. El-Assimi, which consists of saying: “We take care of the Afghans, we welcome a lot of people.” We believe that this is not true, and that the right to family reunification is not respected. “
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