A “Karnaval of beggars” is scheduled for Tuesday evening, in Montpellier (Hérault). In a press release, the prefecture indicates that this parade, undeclared, was prohibited by an order. If the last editions were rather calm, the demonstration had several times turned into a confrontation, a few years ago, between the participants and the police.
“Prepared in a clandestine manner, in the absence of any consultation with the services of the prefecture and the town hall”, this meeting generates “every year disturbances to public order (seeking confrontation with the forces of order, burning of garbage cans, damage to public and private property, excessive consumption of alcohol on the public highway, etc.), specify the services of the State. The prefectural decree prohibits the demonstration from Tuesday at 6 p.m. until the next morning at 5 a.m. That night, it will be forbidden to transport and consume alcohol on public roads. The take-out sale of alcoholic beverages is also strictly prohibited in the city center.
“Certain ultra-left groups divert the freedom to demonstrate in order to form crowds whose sole objectives are to disturb public tranquility, engage in damage and attack the police, deplores the prefect, Hugues Moutouh . Participating in such a gathering under these conditions constitutes an offence. »