Berliner Boersenzeitung - Paris deploys police as protest convoy approaches capital

EUR -
AED 4.178094
AFN 80.660838
ALL 98.620985
AMD 442.81052
ANG 2.050119
AOA 1037.406639
ARS 1323.548457
AUD 1.782369
AWG 2.047514
AZN 1.936072
BAM 1.953658
BBD 2.295063
BDT 138.107337
BGN 1.953169
BHD 0.428707
BIF 3380.393055
BMD 1.137508
BND 1.490752
BOB 7.854387
BRL 6.46036
BSD 1.136644
BTN 96.94284
BWP 15.560799
BYN 3.719988
BYR 22295.149099
BZD 2.283276
CAD 1.576574
CDF 3272.609072
CHF 0.939342
CLF 0.027909
CLP 1070.974491
CNY 8.289035
CNH 8.293358
COP 4893.842103
CRC 572.966647
CUC 1.137508
CUP 30.143952
CVE 110.144216
CZK 24.975123
DJF 202.41625
DKK 7.465351
DOP 67.455435
DZD 150.530901
EGP 57.967725
ERN 17.062614
ETB 151.48415
FJD 2.567807
FKP 0.858034
GBP 0.854877
GEL 3.117175
GGP 0.858034
GHS 17.221115
GIP 0.858034
GMD 81.330736
GNF 9843.119485
GTQ 8.754323
GYD 237.817119
HKD 8.825364
HNL 29.468426
HRK 7.533257
HTG 148.505843
HUF 407.262067
IDR 19165.353793
ILS 4.147654
IMP 0.858034
INR 97.060794
IQD 1489.05401
IRR 47903.288019
ISK 144.895596
JEP 0.858034
JMD 180.062543
JOD 0.806724
JPY 162.126117
KES 147.091207
KGS 99.324201
KHR 4549.970495
KMF 494.24449
KPW 1023.692616
KRW 1632.653167
KWD 0.348669
KYD 0.947253
KZT 587.420669
LAK 24581.827421
LBP 101848.612626
LKR 340.953113
LRD 227.338701
LSL 21.212452
LTL 3.358764
LVL 0.688067
LYD 6.220179
MAD 10.542746
MDL 19.636294
MGA 5115.345533
MKD 61.465435
MMK 2387.74812
MNT 4030.323332
MOP 9.083459
MRU 45.036217
MUR 51.531147
MVR 17.523332
MWK 1971.021247
MXN 22.283194
MYR 4.974301
MZN 72.800375
NAD 21.212452
NGN 1833.002813
NIO 41.833757
NOK 11.83058
NPR 155.109906
NZD 1.902521
OMR 0.437964
PAB 1.136644
PEN 4.194963
PGK 4.704799
PHP 64.217422
PKR 319.496131
PLN 4.275141
PYG 9097.943198
QAR 4.14352
RON 4.976825
RSD 117.090569
RUB 94.233029
RWF 1623.20572
SAR 4.266897
SBD 9.483381
SCR 16.208892
SDG 683.071875
SEK 10.911303
SGD 1.492228
SHP 0.893902
SLE 25.877833
SLL 23852.947296
SOS 649.581957
SRD 41.917193
STD 23544.110848
SVC 9.946093
SYP 14790.043117
SZL 21.202749
THB 38.038825
TJS 12.07735
TMT 3.992652
TND 3.393279
TOP 2.664159
TRY 43.582478
TTD 7.712542
TWD 36.985836
TZS 3059.895608
UAH 47.394411
UGX 4167.393393
USD 1.137508
UYU 47.677298
UZS 14639.817249
VES 94.767943
VND 29637.760703
VUV 136.272965
WST 3.153487
XAF 655.23271
XAG 0.033986
XAU 0.000341
XCD 3.074171
XDR 0.818078
XOF 655.23271
XPF 119.331742
YER 278.973029
ZAR 21.289302
ZMK 10238.937064
ZMW 31.969661
ZWL 366.276985
  • GSK

    0.0000

    37.03

    0%

  • JRI

    -0.0280

    12.462

    -0.22%

  • RBGPF

    -0.4500

    63

    -0.71%

  • SCS

    -0.0350

    9.715

    -0.36%

  • RIO

    0.8600

    61.06

    +1.41%

  • CMSC

    0.1170

    22.277

    +0.53%

  • BCC

    0.6300

    93.96

    +0.67%

  • CMSD

    0.2800

    22.57

    +1.24%

  • NGG

    0.0500

    71.76

    +0.07%

  • AZN

    0.1800

    68.69

    +0.26%

  • RELX

    -0.0390

    52.661

    -0.07%

  • VOD

    -0.0800

    9.22

    -0.87%

  • BCE

    0.0300

    22.25

    +0.13%

  • BP

    0.2500

    28.85

    +0.87%

  • BTI

    -0.0400

    42.47

    -0.09%

  • RYCEF

    0.3400

    9.84

    +3.46%

Paris deploys police as protest convoy approaches capital
Paris deploys police as protest convoy approaches capital

Paris deploys police as protest convoy approaches capital

Thousands of opponents of Covid rules were encamped on the outskirts of Paris early Saturday after driving in convoys from across France, intent on entering the city in defiance of a ban by authorities who are determined to prevent any blockade of the capital.

Text size:

Nearly 7,200 police and gendarmes "are being deployed over the next three days to enforce the ban on vehicle convoys," Paris police headquarters said.

The prefect of the Paris police, Didier Lallement, said they had created a temporary car pound which, together with dozens of tow trucks, "will ... put an end to any blockage".

Police showed off their anti-blockage arsenal on Twitter, publishing photographs of loader tractors for the removal of barricades as well as trucks equipped with cranes or water cannon.

Gendarmerie armoured vehicles have also been deployed in the streets of the capital for the first time since the "yellow vest" protests at the end of 2018.

Prime Minister Jean Castex vowed to remain steadfast.

"If they block traffic or if they try to block the capital, we must be very firm about this," he insisted on France 2 television channel on Friday.

Inspired by Canadian truckers paralysing border traffic with the United States, the demonstrators include anti-Covid vaccination activists, but also people angry at fast-rising energy prices.

Hundreds of cars, motorhomes and vans from Lille, Strasbourg, Chateaubourg and elsewhere stopped Friday evening at the gates of Paris, but a police source said no convoy had entered the capital.

They are demanding a withdrawal of the government's vaccine pass, which is required for access to many public spaces, and more help with their energy bills.

"People need to see us, and to listen to the people who just want to live a normal and free life," said Lisa, a 62-year-old retired health worker who joined a convoy of more than 1,000 vehicles leaving Chateaubourg in the western Brittany region early Friday.

Like other protesters, Lisa has been active in the "yellow vest" movement that erupted over a fuel tax hike before becoming a platform for other complaints against President Emmanuel Macron.

Just two months ahead of presidential elections and with the government desperate to avoid violent scenes in the capital, Macron said Friday he understood the "fatigue" linked to the Covid-19 pandemic.

"This fatigue also leads to anger. I understand it and I respect it. But I call for the utmost calm," he told the Ouest-France newspaper.

- 'It's a betrayal' -

Police estimated 3,300 vehicles were involved in the various convoys by Friday afternoon.

Paris police banned the gathering because of feared "public order disturbances" and said protesters who tried to block roads would face fines or arrest.

The order prohibiting the assembly of convoys was upheld on Friday by the courts, which rejected two appeals.

"It's a betrayal. The basis of the order is not respectful of the law, of the freedom to demonstrate," anti-vaccine and "yellow vest" activist Sophie Tissier told AFP.

"The right to demonstrate and to have an opinion are a constitutionally guaranteed right in our republic and in our democracy. The right to block others or to prevent coming and going is not," the prime minister said.

Refuting any desire to block the capital, the demonstrators were hoping to swell the ranks of the regular Saturday protests against the government's vaccine pass.

"It's important that we don't interfere with other people on the roads," said one activist, Robin, on his way from Illkirch-Graffenstaden in the eastern Alsace region. "That way we'll keep the population on our side, like they did in Canada."

Some then want to travel on to Brussels for a "European convergence" of protesters planned there for Monday.

Phil, a 58-year-old on his way by truck from Brittany, said his refusal to get vaccinated had created "upheaval" in his family and work relations.

"When you join a demonstration you feel less alone," he told AFP.

The government has expressed some sympathy for the protesters, with spokesman Gabriel Attal attributing their anger to "fatigue and weariness" after long-lasting Covid restrictions.

The government also announced Friday a further easing of Covid rules.

burs-ao/roc/mtp/oho

(S.G.Stein--BBZ)