French officials have ordered a ban on all pro-Palestine rallies in the region as police officers were seen using teargas to disperse protesters across the country.
Law enforcement personnel in the country as well as members of the gendarmerie worked to remove the large crowds using teargas and water cannons. The ban on pro-Palestine rallies was announced earlier in the day following a message sent by French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin to the country's police.
France Bans Pro-Palestine Rally
The minister said that the decision was made to prohibit pro-Palestine rallies because they are more likely to generate disturbances to the public order. He added that any organization that holds such protests will have to face arrests.
Additionally, Darmanin called on police to work on protecting all locations visited by French Jews such as synagogues and schools. He said that any foreigner committing acts of anti-Semitism on French soil will be "immediately expelled."
The pro-Palestine rally ban follows the deadly and massive attack by the Haman militant group on Israel over the weekend that has already killed more than 1,200 people. In response, the Israeli government used overwhelming force to attack the coastal enclave of Gaza, which is under the control of Hamas, as per CNN.
As the Israel-Palestine conflict approaches unprecedented heights, rallies in support of both sides have been spreading worldwide, some have also resulted in violent clashes. French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday called on the people of his country to stay united. He added that the shield of unity is what will protect them from drifting away and from all the hatred in the world.
On that same day, demonstrators gathered in the historic Place de la Republique whistled, clapped, and chanted slogans in French, including, "We are all Palestinian" and "Palestine will live, Palestine will prevail."
One attendee of the demonstration said that France's ban on pro-Palestine rallies is "not normal under the rule of law." He added that in France, you cannot simply demonstrate as is your right, freely. He argues that freedom is no longer in the nation and people are forced to defy French law to demonstrate and show the truth.
Israel-Palestine Conflict
Another resident, 29-year-old Charlotte Vautier, said that it was unfair to forbid one side and to authorize the other to demonstrate. She added that the situation does not reflect the reality of Palestine in current times, according to Aljazeera.
Darmanin's orders also come as he announced that since Saturday, at least 24 people have been arrested across the nation for "anti-Semitic acts." The situation comes as France is home to the largest Muslim and Jewish communities in Europe, which means that events overseas can oftentimes increase tensions dramatically.
In his address, Macron said that the current conflict is an earthquake for Israel, the Middle East, and beyond. He urged the people of France not to pursue ideological adventures by imitating or projecting.
Despite the ban, protesters gathered together and chanted "Israel murderer" and "Macron accomplice." Additionally, the Hamas militant group has called for protests across the Muslim World on Friday in support of Palestinians, said Reuters.
