The Paris administrative court suspended this Thursday the prefectural ban on a pro-Palestinian demonstration on the Place de la République in Paris, which already brought together several thousand people. According to the court, the prefectural decrees constitute “a serious and manifestly illegal attack on the freedom to demonstrate” and orders their suspension.
The Paris administrative court on Thursday suspended the prefectural ban on a pro-Palestinian demonstration, already underway on the Place de la République in Paris and which brought together several thousand people, according to an AFP journalist on site. “The execution of the orders (…) of the police prefect of October 18 is suspended as they prohibit the planned regrouping between 7:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.”, indicates the court in its order of which AFP obtained a copy. The demonstration, which had been taking place peacefully since 6 p.m., was organized by the CAPJPO Europalestine association and by the New Anti-Capitalist Party.
“A serious and manifestly illegal attack on the freedom to demonstrate”
“Respect for freedom of demonstration and freedom of expression, which have the character of fundamental freedoms (….) must be reconciled with the constitutional requirement to safeguard public order,” considers the court. “It does not follow from the instruction, and in particular from the note from the specialized services established for the present demonstration, that the planned gathering would present a particular risk of violence, against other groups or the forces of order,” he argues. The contested prefectural decrees therefore constitute “a serious and manifestly illegal attack on the freedom to demonstrate”, concludes the court, ordering their suspension.
The Council of State reminded the government on Wednesday that pro-Palestinian demonstrations could not be systematically banned and that it was up to the prefects alone to assess whether there was a local risk of disturbances to public order. As soon as the news spread in the demonstration at Place de la République, the police forces who had “suppressed” the crowd withdrew completely from the square, according to the AFP journalist on site.