Mobilization in the streets maintained this Saturday evening. The administrative court on Saturday suspended a ban on a torchlight march in Paris planned for the evening by an ultra-right group, considering that the order of the prefect of police was a "serious infringement" of the freedom of demonstration.
The "Parisian Pride" identity march is underway in #Paris.
The demonstration, banned by the prefecture, was finally authorized by the court.
"We're at home" or
"Justice for Thomas" shout the participants. pic.twitter.com/iOCmAzyqOE
— Clément Lanot (@ClementLanot) January 13, 2024
Like every year, the identity association Paris Fierté had planned to demonstrate at nightfall in tribute to Saint Geneviève, "patroness" of the capital, on the mountain of the same name, in the heart of the city.
The prefect of police, Laurent Nuñez, had issued an order prohibiting the march, as well as a counter-demonstration planned by an "antifa" organization, citing the risk of disturbing public order.
A ban not sufficiently motivated, according to the court
The prefect had explained in particular that "the international environment and the current tensions in France" posed "a serious risk that the declared gathering could convey remarks or references, even indirect, likely to call into question national cohesion".
But Laurent Nuñez "does not provide any evidence to support" the grounds for the ban invoked, according to the summary judge of the Paris administrative court in his order, for whom the order "constitutes a serious and manifestly illegal infringement of the freedom of demonstration".
The counter-demonstration planned by the Action antifasciste Paris-Banlieue was also authorised by the administrative court, the court told AFP.
In January 2023, some 350 people, according to the police, took part in the torchlight march organized by the ultra-right movement, whose initial ban by the police prefecture had also been lifted by the administrative justice.