Criticism of French demonstration ban

Amnesty International's Nathalie Godard criticized the French president's decision to prohibit all demonstrations except those organized by trade unions as an "inversion of the principle governing the freedom of assembly." She argued that such restrictions should only be used as a last resort and can be challenged in court.

Legal concerns raised

Nathalie Godard, a specialist in international law and director of Action at Amnesty International France, stated that from a purely legal point of view, Macron's authorization of only trade union demonstrations is not justified in relation to international law that protects the freedom of assembly. Everyone can be legitimate to express opinions in public space and wish to organize a demonstration, according to Godard.

Planned mobilization

A second mobilization is being prepared for Saturday, October 24, following the October 17 mobilization. President Emmanuel Macron announced that all demonstrations would be prohibited except those organized by trade unions, but the legality of this decision is being questioned.

Legal precedents and restrictions

The demonstration that had been prohibited in Paris was authorized by the administrative court following a request from the organizers. The prohibition should only be made as a last resort, if there are no other solutions to limit violence. General prohibitions, such as those declared by Macron, are considered disproportionate in relation to the infringement on the freedom of assembly.

Long-term decline in rights

Amnesty International has investigated a decline in the right to demonstrate in France, which does not date back to this week or this month, but rather to a decade. There have been significant obstacles to the right to peacefully demonstrate in France, notably through the doctrine of maintaining order implemented by the public authorities.

Use of force and judicial actions

This doctrine leads to significant violence against demonstrators, including the use of weapons such as rubber bullets (LBD) or disengagement grenades, which maim and risk seriously injuring demonstrators. France is the country where there are the most maimed people from this type of grenade in demonstrations. This doctrine of maintaining order also uses certain techniques, such as the use of encirclement tactics, which have an impact in terms of deterrence.

Judicialization and deterrence

There is also a strong judicialization against demonstrators, with a very large number of arrests, for reasons often quite vague, poorly defined in law, such as the offense of insult or the offense of gathering. All of this discourages people from going to demonstrate and also sends a message: demonstrating is first seen as a violent expression, while the vast majority of demonstrations take place peacefully and it is necessary to protect this right.