DIRECT. Pro-Palestinian protest in Paris: water cannons and tear gas used against protesters

The essential

• As the situation flares up in the Middle East, where more than 130 deaths have been counted on the Israeli and Palestinian side, around thirty pro-Palestinian associations have announced their intention to pound the streets of Paris.

• The demonstration was banned by the prefecture of police in the capital, but the organizers decided to maintain their call to gather.

• The demonstrators are invited to meet at the Barbès metro at 3 p.m., and then walk to Bastille.

  A large police force is planned to prevent the gathering.

• The prefect Didier Lallement ordered the closure of shops in the Barbès district "as a precaution" from noon.

• Several other events, these authorized, are planned, in particular in Lyon, Bordeaux, Montpellier, Marseille, Nantes, Rennes, Strasbourg, Toulouse, Lille, Metz or Saint-Etienne.

Today's events

2:35 p.m.

The police officers, strongly mobilized in Barbès, use tear gas and water cannons

against the demonstrators, according to the journalist of Brut Rémy Buisine present on the spot.

Between 150 and 200 demonstrators and 4,200 police officers are said to be already there.

The water cannon is used at #Barbes against the demonstrators.

#Palestine pic.twitter.com/VaTph2fd4W

- Remy Buisine (@RemyBuisine) May 15, 2021

2:15 p.m.

About thirty associations involved.

Behind the call for mobilization, are the Association of Palestinians in Ile-de-France, as well as organizations such as Attac, the Paris-Banlieue Antifascist Action or the New Anticapitalist Party.

2:10 p.m.

In Paris, an illegal demonstration.

The ban on the event in the capital was confirmed by the administrative court, which yesterday rejected the appeal made by lawyers for the Association of Palestinians in Ile-de-France.

Violators risk a fine of 135 euros, warned the prefecture.

The appeal against the order taken by the Prefect of Police was rejected by the administrative court.

The event scheduled for tomorrow is therefore prohibited. # Reminder: Participating in a prohibited event is subject to a fine of 135 €.

pic.twitter.com/cgX4CdwHyf

- Police Prefecture (@prefpolice) May 14, 2021

2:05 p.m.

A rally against a backdrop of tensions in the Middle East.

The military escalation between Israel and Hamas has left more than 130 Palestinians dead since Monday, including some 40 children, and hundreds injured in the Gaza Strip, according to a latest Palestinian report.

In Israel, nine people were killed including a child and nearly 600 injured.

Read alsoClashes between Israel and Hamas: six questions about a conflagration

14 hours. Hello and welcome to this live.

We will follow here the pro-Palestinian demonstrations organized this Saturday throughout France, and in particular the one in Paris, banned but whose organizers have nevertheless announced the holding.