A court in Paris prohibited a demonstration against police brutality in the capital on Saturday, as tensions remain high in the wake of riots earlier this month over the police killing of an adolescent.
After a week of riots that resulted in massive devastation of public and private property, the government has attempted to suppress protests to prevent further disorder.
Wednesday, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin announced a prohibition on any protest “directly linked to the riots” that followed the traffic stop shooting of 17-year-old Nahel.
A video of a police officer shooting a teenager at point-blank range went viral, reigniting long-standing tensions regarding police brutality and prejudice in the United States. Saturday, a Paris administrative court upheld the prohibition following a last-ditch effort by protest organizers to appeal the decision.
“Given the recent nature of the violent riots,” a lack of police availability, and the potential for disturbances lead the judges to conclude that prohibiting the demonstration was the only viable option.
Lucie Simon, a counsel for the protest organizers, which included a coalition against police brutality and other organizations, accused authorities of “obstructing all democratic channels of expression of legitimate demands.”
On Saturday, approximately 2,000 individuals disobeyed a similar prohibition to participate in a memorial rally for a young black man who died in police custody in 2016. While protests against police brutality were held throughout France.
