The rally was held despite being banned. Thirteen people were arrested on Friday night in Strasbourg during a demonstration in support of the Palestinians, the Bas-Rhin prefecture announced. "The national police have arrested 13 people, including the organizer of the demonstration, who will be presented to the courts," the prefecture said on X (ex-Twitter).
A rally was held this evening in #Strasbourg Place Kléber despite the ban.
The national police arrested 13 people, including the organizer of the demonstration, who will be brought before the courts.
The @Prefet67 thanks the police for their professionalism.
— Prefect of the Grand Est & Bas-Rhin 🇫🇷🇪🇺 region (@Prefet67) October 13, 2023
Nearly 300 people gathered at the end of the day in the city center, waving Palestinian flags and placards, not far from the Place Kléber, which had been made inaccessible by the police. "Palestine will live, Palestine will win" and "We are all Palestinians," the demonstrators chanted.
The rally was dispersed by the security forces, who used tear gas. According to a union source, a police officer was injured.
'Provocation'
The prefect of the Bas-Rhin region, Josiane Chevalier, had issued a decree on Thursday to ban the rally, considering in particular that such a demonstration could be "felt by part of the population, in particular the Jewish community, as a provocation or support for (the) terrorist actions".
On Thursday, Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin ordered a ban on "pro-Palestinian demonstrations, because they are likely to generate disturbances to public order," adding that "the organization of these banned demonstrations (should) lead to arrests."
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Gatherings were held in spite of everything, notably in Paris and Lille. At least ten demonstrators were arrested in the capital and as many in Lille.