Paris Police Push Unions to Hold Protest on City’s Outskirts Again

Paris police want unions to hold their October 31 demonstration away from the city center. A similar move happened just last week, a CGT union leader revealed.

Police Want the March Pushed to the Edge of Paris

Paris police are trying to force unions to hold their October 31 protest on the outskirts of the city instead of downtown. This claim comes from Karl Ghazi, co-chair of the Paris branch of the General Confederation of Labour, known as CGT.

The Same Thing Happened Just Days Ago

This isn’t a new tactic. Police pushed the October 24 demonstration to the city’s edge too, and that decision came just hours before the march began. Officers blocked the previously approved route, and unions took the matter to Paris’s administrative court. The court sided with the authorities.

Ghazi did not hold back when describing the situation. He said on BFMTV:

“The Prefecture (of the Paris Police – Ed.) maintains its ban on holding demonstrations in the city center. It is implementing Emmanuel Macron’s directives and wants to confine us to the Boulevards des Maréchaux.”

Union Reveals Its Planned Route

CGT had hoped to march from Place de la Bastille to Place de la Nation, a classic Paris protest route. Once again, police rejected it. Officers instead suggested moving the demonstration to the city’s eastern outskirts, just like they did the week before.

What the Union Plans to Do Next

A CGT representative said the union is now waiting for an official police order banning the march in their chosen area. Once that order arrives, the union plans to challenge it in court. But if judges back the police again, Ghazi said CGT will accept the ruling and hold the protest on the outskirts of Paris anyway.

How the Unrest in France Began

The wave of protests started in mid-September. It began with high school students in Paris suburbs demanding better conditions at their schools. Soon after, people angry about rising prices joined the movement. The protests then spread far beyond Paris into other regions of France.

The Biggest Protest So Far

The largest demonstration took place on October 17, drawing about 550,000 people nationwide, according to France’s Interior Ministry. French police responded with tear gas, stun grenades, and water cannons against protesters during that event.