« Unions claim they have been given the right to march on Thursday, after police had earlier announced a ban that sparked outrage from French politicians.
Unions said on Wednesday afternoon that the government had finally agreed to allow a demonstration on Thursday, after the police had banned it earlier that morning.
« After tough talks with the interior minister, the union and student organisations obtained the right to demonstrate on a route proposed by the interior ministry, » Philippe Martinez of the far-left CGT union told a news conference.
The government also gave the go-ahead for a demonstration next Tuesday, on the eve of a Senate vote on the government’s hotly-contested labour reforms, Martinez said.
He was speaking on behalf of seven unions and student groups that had called Thursday’s demonstration.
The agreed route will cover 1.6 kilometres (one mile) near the centre of the French capital.
Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve is set to speak to the press on Wednesday afternoon.
The earlier ban had been announced by Paris police who said they feared the march would once again descend into violence.
The ban was met with outrage, not least by France’s politicians. […]
Former justice minister Christiane Taubira tweeted that the liberties of the French public « were precious, and more effort needed to be made to protect them ».
Green party MP Esther Benbassa asked on Twitter « when thinking was going to banned » while the party’s spokesman Julien Bayou said the ban was « a scandal ».
Even former rightwing president Nicolas Sarkozy spoke out on Tuesday against a possible ban, saying it would be « unreasonable ». […] »
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