“Risks of disturbance to public order”: the Paris police chief bans a demonstration route for October 17, but offers an alternative

The Paris police prefect, Patrice Faure, issued an order on Thursday prohibiting demonstrations on the route chosen by the Interfac IDF general assembly to march in the capital on Saturday, affirming that his proposal for an alternative route “remains relevant”, AFP learned from the police headquarters (PP).

Interfac IDF declared a demonstration between Place de la République and Place de la Concorde. This route was refused to him by the PP which highlighted “serious risks of disturbances to public order”, but offered him, “in the interest of reconciling the freedom to demonstrate and the safety of all, an alternative route, linking Republic to Nation”.

The organizers refusing the alternative route proposed by the PP, Patrice Faure decided to issue an order prohibiting the route initially declared. “The proposal for an alternative route remains in place,” added the PP. Tuesday's incidents “demonstrated the presence, within the Interfac IDF procession, of several hundred violent individuals, determined to confront the police, loot businesses, damage street furniture and harm everyone's peace,” continued the prefecture.

“The dialogue continues”

However, for Saturday in the capital, another demonstration was declared by several yellow vests, in which unions joined for a route from the Place de l'Opéra, in the very center of Paris, to the Place de la Bastille. At the PP, it was argued that there was a “serious risk” that participants in the Interfac IDF demonstration would join the procession of yellow vests and unions.

In this context, the police headquarters proposed an alternative route between Place de Clichy and Place de la République. “The dialogue continues,” assured the PP, explaining that Patrice Faure’s decisions “respond(s) to an assessment of the risks of disturbances to public order, based on the violence observed and the characteristics of the routes declared.”

“The police chief took into account the wish of the declarants to have two separate processions. Its services will allow them to demonstrate in safety but, warned the PP, this cannot be done on the declared routes. According to authorities' estimates, between 20,000 and 40,000 people are expected to march in Paris on Saturday.