the prefecture bans a conference in the presence of the president of the small far-right group Civitas

The Moselle prefecture has issued an order to ban a far-right conference planned for Saturday March 16, it announced in a press release relayed by France Bleu Lorraine Nord. This conference was to be co-hosted by Alain Escada, president of Civitas, a nationalist and fundamentalist Catholic movement dissolved by the government, and by Xavier Moreau, a former French army officer and member of the pro-Russian association Equality and Reconciliation.

Laurent Touvet, prefect of Moselle, believes that such a gathering presents “risk of disturbances to public order”. However, the absence of prior declaration of demonstration in the prefecture and “the almost clandestine organization with communication of the location a few hours before” the event does not allow “ensure conditions for preventing possible disturbances to public order”, explains the prefecture in its press release. Thus, Alain Escada and Xavier Moreau will not be able to organize a conference from Friday until Sunday “included”.

The conference was to take place in an undisclosed location

This conference was organized by Equality and Reconciliation Lorraine and was to address the following theme: “Has the West become a USSR 2.0?” A far-right website offered to register for a fee of 10 euros. It was to take place on Saturday at 3 p.m. in an undisclosed location. Participants were supposed to receive the meeting place from 10 a.m., specifies France Bleu Lorraine Nord.

The small group Civitas was dissolved last October. The Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, had launched a dissolution procedure after remarks “ignominious”, anti-Semitic comments made during the Civitas summer school last August. Civitas has also increased its homophobic positions and taken up numerous conspiracy theories, particularly during the Covid-19 crisis.