Paris police prefecture bans “anti-fascist” demonstration planned for Sunday in front of the National Assembly

The Paris police prefecture issued an order on Thursday, July 4, to ban a demonstration planned for Sunday, July 7, in front of the National Assembly, at the close of voting in the second round of the legislative elections, Agence Radio France has learned.

The call to demonstrate was launched by a collective on social networks. Action antifasciste Paris-Banlieue gave “Meet us Sunday at 8 p.m. in front of the National Assembly” in Paris. “Whatever the outcome, today more than ever let us unite by all means against the extreme right and its allies”explain the organizers before concluding “without the street, no Popular Front”.

The Paris police prefecture justifies its ban because it believes “that the planned demonstration is likely to disturb public order”but also that the organization Action antifasciste Paris-Banlieue did not make any prior declaration three clear days before the planned date, to announce its demonstration. The authority of the Ministry of the Interior also judges that “The members of Action antifasciste Paris-Banlieue are accustomed to violent actions, damage and violence against people, particularly during protest demonstrations”as the demonstration planned in front of the Palais-Bourbon on Sunday seems to be taking shape.

Finally, the Paris police prefecture justifies the ban on this demonstration because the National Assembly is a building subject to “special and reinforced security measures” and “its surroundings do not constitute an appropriate place to host protest demonstrations”. Demonstrations are indeed very rare in front of the National Assembly. In 2021, a gathering of thousands of police officers was organized by fourteen trade union organizations. Many elected politicians, including the Minister of the Interior, took part in the demonstration.