French police use tear gas against pro-Palestinian protesters in Paris

French police have used tear gas and water cannon to disperse demonstrators who defied a government ban on pro-Palestinian rallies and took to the streets in Paris against Israel’s bombardment of the blockaded Gaza Strip.

Thousands of people converged in the Barbes district of northern Paris to show solidarity with Palestinians on Saturday.

Paris announce a ban on the march on Thursday, citing concerns over a repeat of fierce clashes that erupted at pro-Palestinian rallies in the capital back in 2014.

On Saturday, police blocked off wide boulevards as well as narrow streets where some of the protesters were forced to retreat.

Some protesters threw stones or tried to set up roadblocks with construction barriers.

Police pursued groups to prevent demonstrations from marching toward the Place de la Bastille, as planned.

"You want to prohibit me from showing solidarity with my people, even as my village is being bombed?" said a Palestinian refugee, wearing a "Free Palestine" t-shirt.

Israel has been bombarding the blockaded Gaza Strip repeatedly for the past several days.

At least 139 Palestinians, including 39 children and 22 women, have been killed and about 1,000 others injured since Monday.

Mayor Anne Hidalgo welcomed the ban on protests in Paris, describing it as a "wise" decision.

Amid Gaza bombardment, Israeli minister seeks Facebook, TikTok blackout

“We are in a moment of social emergency, and we expect your assistance,” Benny Gantz was quoted as saying.

But president of the Association of Palestinians in Ile-de-France accused the government of inflaming tensions with the ban.

"If there were genuine risks of public disorder, of serious problems, they would have prohibited it right away," said Walid Atallah.

"They banned it at the last minute — it's unacceptable," he said.

A Paris court upheld the ban Friday, saying the "international and domestic context" justified fears of unrest "that could be as serious or even worse than in 2014."

But no incidents were reported as thousands of people gathered for protests in several other cities including Montpellier, Toulouse and Bordeaux.

French police arrest head of Palestine advocacy group, ban pro-Palestine rally

Police in France have arrested the head of a Palestine advocacy group and banned a pro-Palestine rally.

Similar protests were held in Germany and Denmark this week, during which police clashed with protesters detained several people.

Thousands of people also staged rallies in London and Madrid on Saturday in solidarity with Palestinians.

Many accuse Paris of being favorable toward Israel in the current aggression against the besieged Gaza Strip.

According to an online US-based publication, Electronic Intifada (EI), despite its pretensions of being a bastion of free speech, France is one of the most repressive countries in the world against supporters of Palestinian rights.

Paris is also in the midst of a racist and Islamophobic campaign of incitement and repression against French Muslims, it said.

President Emmanuel Macron himself has long been criticized for his Islamophobic remarks and anti-Muslim policies.

Last year, he sparked a controversy after making insulting remarks against Islam and defending the publication of sacrilegious cartoons against Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) in the name of “freedom of speech.”   

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