Around Paris: Hundreds of protest convoy cars stopped

Following the example of the truckers in Canada, thousands of corona demonstrators want to block Paris with their cars. The police are in action with a large contingent. Despite controls, vehicles made it into the center.

In France, the police stopped around 500 vehicles from a demonstration against the corona restrictions shortly before Paris. They were stopped at various points, the police said on Twitter. Until shortly before noon, the officials issued 283 warnings, which were subject to a fee, also because people were carrying petrol cans, hammers, knives or slingshots.

A few motorhomes and a truck would have made it to the Champs Élysées in the center of the capital. They were stopped there by a motorcycle squadron.

In the evening, thousands of people from all over France drove to the outskirts of Paris in cars, mobile homes and vans and spent the night there. The aim is to form a “mass of vehicles that cannot be contained by the police,” said the demonstrators in correspondence seen by the AFP news agency.

Thousands of police officers on duty

With thousands of police officers on duty and controls at toll stations, the authorities want to prevent the protest drive from several cities from reaching the capital. Armored vehicles and water cannons were also deployed.

The Paris Prefecture banned the convoys from February 11-14 so as not to endanger public order. According to the authorities, anyone who violates this risks two years in prison, a fine of 4,500 euros and the withdrawal of their driver’s license.

Demonstrations based on the trucker protests in Canada

Opponents of the French Corona rules had called for the vehicle protest. They are bothered by stricter rules for those who are not and not fully vaccinated, who can only participate in public life to a limited extent. Participants in the protests started in different parts of the country during the week. The aim of their rally was a bundled demonstration, based on the trucker protests in Canada. However, this demonstration in Paris was banned.

In Canada, thousands of people are demonstrating against corona measures and vaccination regulations. With trucks and other vehicles, they blocked, among other things, parts of downtown Ottawa. The protests initially focused on vaccination requirements for truck drivers and then on government pandemic restrictions overall.

Among the participants in the convoys in France are opponents of vaccination as well as people who are protesting against increased prices and against the government in general.