The prefectures, which fear excesses, judge the organizers are not able to organize a “peaceful demonstration”. More than 6,000 demonstrators are expected from Friday.
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Anti-basin demonstrations are banned on Friday by the Vienne prefecture, France Bleu Poitou has learned, and by the Deux-Sèvres prefecture, from Friday to Sunday, the prefecture announced in a press release on Tuesday. The Vienne prefecture has just published an order, consulted by France Bleu Poitou on Tuesday, July 16 at noon, which bans the anti-basin demonstration in the Saint-Sauvant forest, in Vienne, on Friday, July 19, on the site of a future water reserve.
The ban applies to an area encompassing Saint-Sauvant but also the neighboring municipalities. The Vienne prefecture justifies this ban by the lack of declaration of the demonstration. According to it, there was no exchange with the organizers to secure the route. The ban on demonstration applies to several sectors of the department, around Sainte-Soline, Melle and Mauzé-sur-le-Mignon. Several thousand demonstrators are expected.
“The latest undeclared demonstrations by these same organizers have given rise to violent excesses, with attacks on property and peopleexplains the Vienne prefecture in its press release, and in particular unacceptable attacks on law enforcement.” She believes that “These organizers are not able to guarantee a peaceful demonstration without it giving rise to violence.”
The same tone is heard from the Deux-Sèvres prefecture. “To ensure the safety of people and property, the prefect prohibits undeclared gatherings from July 19 to July 21 in Deux-Sèvres”its press release states. According to it, “these gatherings are expected to be high risk” And “To date, no statement has been made by the groups and organisations to the municipalities of the Deux-Sèvres department, which have refused any dialogue with the authorities”.
Last Monday, Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin announced, during a visit to the prefecture of Niort (Deux-Sèvres), that “protest bans” would be “pronounced by the prefects in the days” future.
Between 6,000 and 8,000 people are expected according to the authorities, between the demonstration in Saint-Sauvant on Friday and the one planned for the following day in La Rochelle, recalls France Bleu Poitou, whose “a thousand who could be described as dangerous, violent, or radicalized”according to Gérald Darmanin. At the Water Village which opened its doors on Tuesday morning, in Melle, in Deux-Sèvres, up to 10,000 people are expected until this weekend.