Paris police prohibits far-right demonstrations planned for weekend

By Nur Asena Erturk

ANKARA (AA) – Paris police on Friday prohibited five far-right demonstrations planned for the weekend.

Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin on Tuesday ordered local authorities to not grant permission to those groups across the country.

Paris police on Monday in a statement explained that it did not prohibit the neo-Nazi supporters' rally on May 6 in Paris since they were not a risk to public order.

Paris police chief Laurent Nunez nevertheless transferred the matter to the prosecutor since some supporters were wearing face masks during the march, which is illegal.

The court is yet to give its verdict on whether those groups can continue holding demonstrations, which is why the planned rallies were prohibited for the weekend.

- Neo-Nazi rally in Paris

Hundreds of neo-Nazi supporters rallied in the capital on May 6, drawing widespread criticism.

More than 500 members of the May-9 Committee (Comite du 9-Mai) wore black face masks, and waved black Celtic cross banners to commemorate Sebastien Deyzieu, a prominent figure of the far-right in France, who fell from a tall building and died while he was escaping police in 1994.

Paris police explained that it did not ban the rally on the pretext that it posed no threat to public order.

The statement explained that a planned demonstration can be prohibited if authorities believe it can disrupt public order.

The rally is held every year, the statement said, adding that "this demonstration in the past years caused no trouble or disruption in public order, and police had no grounds to prohibit it."