justice suspends the ban on union gatherings near the Stade de France

Members of the intersyndicale can distribute leaflets and red cards around the Stade de France. The administrative court of Paris suspended, on Saturday April 29, the ban on gathering near the enclosure where the final of the Coupe de France takes place, in the presence of Emmanuel Macron. This ban was decided on Friday by the Paris police chief.

In its decision, rendered a few hours before kick-off, the court ruled in favor of the trade unions, which had filed an interim order with the League for Human Rights. The prefect of police did not bring “sufficient elements concerning the risks of disturbances to public order or specific difficulties in its missions of maintaining order”in the face of demonstrators who had announced only one “simple distribution of leaflets against the pension reform by a limited number of people”pointed out the court, in its decision.

“It’s a victory for the respect of freedoms”, reacted the inter-union.

“The trade unions will thus be able to act within the framework of freedom of expression and meet the public of the Stade de France, to distribute their material”she added.

30,000 red cards and 10,000 whistles

The unions had notably announced their intention to distribute 30,000 red cards and 10,000 whistles. Videos shot by journalists on the spot show union activists towing in front of the enclosure, in the presence of a police force.

The prefect of police of Paris, Laurent Nuñez, had defended, on Saturday morning, his decision to ban any demonstration near the Stade de France, referring in particular to a “huge spectator flow” with “78,000 people” expected for the meeting, which opposes Toulouse to Nantes. “It would seem quite irresponsible to let this type of event take place on the day of a big risk match”he said at the microphone of RMC.