The meeting was set for 5 p.m. this Wednesday, cours des 50-Otages, in downtown Nantes. The gathering announced “in support of the Palestinian people, their resistance to the occupation and for the demand for the implementation of all their rights” was finally banned by the prefecture of Loire-Atlantique, informs the State. The authorities fear “serious disturbances to public order, safety and security” in an extremely sensitive international context. The prefect also criticizes the organizer for not having declared the demonstration, nor planned measures to “guarantee security and public tranquility”.
The call to demonstrate was relayed mainly by the association France Palestine Solidarities 44 but is co-signed by Platform 44 of NGOs for Palestine within which we find the Human Rights League, Mrap, Cimade, CCFD-Terre Solidaire and the French Jewish Union for Peace (association secular anti-Zionist).
The leaflet broadcast in recent days “calls on Hamas and Israel to respect international humanitarian law and thus put an end to attacks against civilian populations.” The text, which considers that “this Hamas offensive is taking place in a context of generalized oppression”, also asks France and the European Union “to intervene urgently to protect civilians” and to ” attack the root causes of these cycles of violence.”