Hollande denounces the action “outrageous” of “disruptive elements” …
The clashes between some demonstrators and the riot police on the Republic Square in Paris on Sunday led to 208 arrests including 174 in police custody, said the Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve Sunday night. The police department had raised a hundred arrests in mid-afternoon.
“The masked face”
“These are small violent groups who attacked the police with projectiles” such as “candles and even a bowling ball,” said Police Commissioner Michel Cadot, adding that none of the protesters or police officers had been injured.
These “small groups” some “masked” and “projectile carriers” have “tried to pass” through the police presence at the Avenue of the Republic. Some 200-300 of them have therefore been “channeled” by the police on the spot, and among them, a hundred arrested. Michel Cadot considered that these excesses did not call into question the security arrangements in place for the Cop 21.
Tensions entre manifestants et force de l’ordre… par 20Minutes
Charge de crs au niveau rue du temple #Republique lacrymos a gogo pic.twitter.com/RcriPoba3H
— Christophe Gueugneau (@gueugneau) November 29, 2015
Violent acts, including throwing projectiles, committed by some demonstrators must be denounced “with the greatest firmness of respect for the victims of the attacks,” said Bernard Cazeneuve. “No amalgam can not be made in good faith between demonstrators and groups who have always had only one purpose: to take responsible and legitimate gatherings to commit unacceptable violence,” he added.
On Twitter, Manuel Valls condemned the incident “shameful” and called for “respect the memory of the victims” of the attacks.
Les violences contre les forces de l’ordre place de la République sont indignes. Respecter ce lieu, c’est respecter la mémoire des victimes.
— Manuel Valls (@manuelvalls) November 29, 2015
For his part, Francois Hollande denounces the action “outrageous” of “disruptive elements”.
The Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, has also expressed via a tweet:
La place de la République est devenu un lieu de recueillement. L’attitude de quelques uns, est indigne pour la mémoire des victimes.
— Anne Hidalgo (@Anne_Hidalgo) November 29, 2015
According to organizers, “over 10,000” people took part in a human chain, earlier Boulevard Voltaire, to denounce “the climate emergency” on the eve of the opening of the COP21, despite the ‘ban on demonstrations imposed under the state of emergency that followed the attacks of November 13. The police, she counted 4,500 demonstrators.
“Si on ne marche pas, cela ne marchera pas”, scandent les manifestants devant les crs qui barrent le blvd Voltaire pic.twitter.com/271dPvBKBG
— Fabrice Pouliquen (@FabPouliquen) November 29, 2015
