First of all, demonstrations do not have to be authorized in France, they are free (you're mocking us enough that you should know better).
They can only be banned on a case-by-case basis and only when there is serious risk that they could lead to public disorder. It's basically a decision made by the goverment reprentative, subject to an emergency recourse before court which in this particular case has already been tried. Court has confirmed the ban.
Now the previous demonstration against Israel current military action has caused serious trouble (fights in front of a synagogue, 5 people were arrested and 1 was already convicted to 4 months in jail) although
it is unclear what happened exactly . Initial reports that pro-palestinian attacked the synagogue
may have been unwarranted and the involvement of the Jewish Defense League (basically extreme right-wing jewish thugs) has been confirmed.
Tension is high (as always in France when the middle east sparks up, remember that it has both the biggest Jewish community in Europe and one of the biggest, Arab/Muslim community as well) and there is legal ground to ban these two particular demonstrations. Other demonstrations will take place this week-end in many other places in France.
All in all, it's a difficult situation. I still think that it's a shame that this demonstration has been banned because a good deal of people want to express their view on the matter (or even their anger) and they should be entitled to it. And this is coming from someone more than slightly concerned about the alarming increase in antisemitic acts (from everyday insults and hateful graffitis to synagogues and cemeteries being attacked or desecrated to
8-year-old girls being chased and executed on their schoolground).
There are places today, in France, where wearing a yarmulke or a star of David is seen as a provocation if not an invitation to getting beat up. And I'm sorry to say, but there is always a fringe group in these anti-Israel demonstrations who demonstrate nothing but hatred for Jews thinly veiled under the awful "anti-zionism" banner. And very little effort is typically shown from the majority of demonstrators and organizers to set themselves apart from the very people who supposedly are just an extreme, violent and (very) vocal minority.
Anyway, the demonstration should probably have been maintained with the required police force to channel the possible disruptions.The risk is now that people will gather regardless and if push comes to shove with the police or counter-demonstrators, no good will come out of it for anyone. I can already see the comments about the government/media being controlled by the Jews.
This whole thing has just absolutely nothing to do with niqab/burqas being banned (not really enforced by the way), halal meat or the banning of ALL religious symbols in schools, which, thank god, allows kids to not haver their right of being taught peacefully and on equal footing infringed by religious considerations for a few hours a day thank you very much.
First zionist conspiracy right there. The mood hasn't been so good lately but this made me laugh, thank you.
