"It is important to resist the government's trend of almost systematically banning protests against the war in Gaza." While it had been banned by the prefecture of Seine-et-Marne, the demonstration for peace in the Palestinian enclave, organized this Saturday in Melun, was finally authorized, half an hour before the initially scheduled time. "We have filed an application for summary proceedings before the administrative judge for "illegal infringement of the freedom to demonstrate," explains Vincent Brengarth, lawyer for the organizing associations.
"We feared it would be too late. The prefecture's ban was received yesterday. The hearing at the administrative court took place on Saturday morning. Finally, it was at 10:30 a.m. that we learned that the prefectural decree had been suspended," explains Vincent Brengarth. The court also declared that the State will have to pay a sum of 1,500 euros to the solidarity, unitary and democratic union of local authority staff and to the association Rencontre formation Melun. "It is a relief that the judiciary has recognized that there are no serious grounds for banning this event," the lawyer insists.
About 120 people, Praslin Square
The prefecture's ban was also prompted by the arrest, on Wednesday evening, of four activists of the political organization Permanent Revolution while they were pasting posters, near the Melun train station, on which were written: "Bombing of refugee camps s. Israel murderer." They were taken into custody on charges of "incitement to hatred".
Read alsoMelun - Savigny-le-Temple: two demonstrations "for peace in Gaza" banned by the prefect
"We're happy to have won. While they gave as their motive disturbances to public order, our mobilization to stop the massacres in Gaza went relatively well in Praslin Square. In the space of half an hour, we were joined by 120 people," explains Fatya Mothay, LFI (La France insoumise) Seine-et-Marne representative.
Demonstration in Savigny-le-Temple banned
This is not the only event to be subject to prefectural bans. A second called "March for Peace and against Hatred, Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia" was to take place this Saturday at 19 p.m. in Savigny-le-Temple. This march is organized by local representatives of the political parties La France insoumise, EELV and Génération.s.
At 16:30 p.m. this Saturday, and in the absence of a response to the appeal filed, it will not take place. The reason given is its geographical location: in a priority security zone (PSZ). "These are movements that we know can lead to protests," said Frédéric Lavigne, chief of staff to the prefect of Seine-et-Marne. This may augur clashes that we do not want. The prefect preferred to ban them. »
Contacted, Julie Garnier, LFI regional councillor in Île-de-France speaks of political maneuvers "extremely dangerous" for democracy. "It's very worrying to see the extent to which we are forced to force every time we drop off at the prefecture for a demonstration. What happened in our country? These are not the values of democracy."