French Court Rules to Ban Pro-Palestinian Protests

France's highest administrative court announced today, Wednesday, that pro-Palestinian protests must be banned on a case-by-case basis, while endorsing the validity of instructions from the French Interior Minister to prohibit all pro-Palestinian demonstrations. In a memorandum sent to regional police authorities, the Interior Minister ordered the ban on "pro-Palestinian protests, since they are likely to lead to disturbances of public order." The organization "Comité Action Palestine" challenged the comprehensive ban instructions, stating that they are unjustified and infringe on freedom of expression and assembly. The Council of State upheld the memorandum’s validity but indicated that local authorities cannot ban protests solely based on the memorandum or the fact that the protest is aimed at supporting Palestinians. The council added that due to rising tensions and increased anti-Semitism in France, protests that "support Hamas... tend to provoke disturbances in public order." The organization's lawyer, Vincent Brungart, stated, "It is a victory because it removed the systematic ban, and now we will need to challenge the ban on a case-by-case basis when it occurs." Just hours before the ruling was issued, police authorities in Marseille announced the prohibition of two pro-Palestinian demonstrations due to "risks threatening public order in the current context."