Hidalgo demands state guarantees after Saturday's damage in Paris

Barricades on fire, cobblestones ripped, street furniture destroyed … The demonstration of "yellow vests" largely degenerated in Paris, Saturday, November 24. Symbolic "war scenes" of an "angry" France, according to Emmanuel Macron. However, the Ministry of the Interior had taken the previous day, through the police headquarters, a decree prohibiting demonstrations near institutions (Elysee Palace, National Assembly), Place de la Concorde and on the Champs-Elysees. Elysées. Beauvau had proposed to organize the gathering on the Champ-de-Mars, the place "offering the necessary security conditions" to "welcome the protesters". But it was not counting on the Facebook event launched by Eric Drouet, one of the heads of gondola "yellow vests", who proposed a rally on the Place de la Concorde. Finally, despite the state's prohibitions, the mobilization focused on the Champs-Élysées. As a result, serious damage has been observed, despite the efforts of the police to block the protesters on the famous avenue.

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"It is rare that a decree of the police headquarters is not respected so manifestly"

Emmanuel Grégoire, first deputy

In the Paris city hall, the extent of the damage makes people cringe. On Monday morning, Anne Hidalgo's teams met and pointed to the responsibility of the police headquarters. "It is unacceptable that the prefecture has been overwhelmed Saturday," regretted the first deputy, Emmanuel Grégoire, according to The Parisian . Contacted by Le Figarothe deputy defends himself from "pointing fingers" at the police headquarters. "I'm lobbying amicably and firmly," he says. "There was a big problem. (…) It is rare that a decree of the police prefecture is not respected so manifestly, "he lamented Monday on LCI, while ensuring that the police have done what they could face the thugs. "It's not up to the town hall to maintain public order in Paris," he said.

"Anticipate" an upcoming mobilization

The police prefecture knew that the mobilization would not take place in the Champ-de-Mars because the traffic restrictions planned the day before were confined to an area around the Place de la Concorde. In the absence of a request for an event filed in the prefecture, no special instructions to remove the barriers and the furniture on the avenue had been given. This material was therefore available to "yellow vests" who built barricades, destroyed barriers, inflamed equipment. As for the thugs, some have used these objects to attack the police. According to the town hall, it was not necessary to clear the area to anticipate looting. "The risk was not as characterized as that. If we act by anticipation, we never stop, "says Emmanuel Grégoire.

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But other events are planned by the "yellow vests". A call to the rally on the Champs-Elysées has already been launched on Facebook, called "Act 3 Macron resigns!". Tuesday afternoon, more than 28,000 people had already registered as a "participant" in the event, and 122,000 were "interested". "We want the Ministry of the Interior to be mobilized," says Emmanuel Grégoire, eager to "better prepare this mobilization," and "adapt the human system to better integrate risk." As for Anne Hidalgo, she will ask the prime minister, Édouard Philippe, guarantees to "control the ruffians who taint and discredit the social movements for too long." According to our information, the pedestrian operation of the Champs-Elysees scheduled for Sunday will be canceled in anticipation of a new mobilization of "yellow vests".

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