French union leaders have criticised the organisation of demonstrations planned for Thursday, November 5, as part of a day of strikes and protests over wages. They say authorities have not provided clear answers about proposed routes and object to restrictions on marches through city centres.
CFDT secretary-general Marylise Léon said on Wednesday that the lack of a response from the Paris police prefecture on the route requested by unions was “not acceptable.” She also recalled that demonstrations on October 24 and 31 had been moved to the boulevards around Paris after routes previously agreed with authorities were cancelled the evening before.
CGT secretary-general Sophie Binet said the unions had requested a march from Bastille to Concorde more than two weeks earlier, but had not held what she called serious negotiations with the prefecture. She said similar difficulties had been reported in 20 departments, citing Rennes, Toulouse, Lyon, Le Mans, Annecy and Saint-Brieuc.
The Ile-de-France inter-union group has taken the Paris police prefecture to court in an urgent procedure. It is seeking the timely publication and suspension of any order banning Thursday’s march between Bastille and Concorde. A hearing at the administrative court was scheduled for Wednesday.
In Toulouse, eight unions said on Wednesday they would keep their planned route through the city centre, despite a prefectural order prohibiting it.
Government spokesperson Maud Bregeon said demonstrations could take place in every city in France. She said the state’s role was to enable people to protest and that police arrangements were reviewed for each demonstration to support peaceful conditions.
Separately, magistrates, lawyers, unions and non-governmental organisations accused the government of using administrative measures to restrict protests. They alleged that prefects had sometimes changed agreed routes and issued bans at short notice, leaving little opportunity to appeal. The organisations also raised concerns about the use of anti-terrorism measures to impose disguised restrictions on demonstrations.
The groups said they had appealed to the Council of State to establish procedures for challenging last-minute administrative decisions, including changes to protest routes.
Sources: Le Monde Politique.