Published 12:44 IST, June 6th 2020
France bans protests at US Embassy and Eiffel Tower over risks of large gatherings
France police reportedly banned ‘Black Lives Matter’ protests planned outside the US Embassy and on the lawns near the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
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The French police reportedly banned ‘Black Lives Matter’ protests planned outside the US Embassy and on the lawns near the Eiffel Tower in Paris. While speaking to an international media outlet, the Paris police department said that it had to ban the demonstrations because of the risks of social disorder and health dangers from large gatherings due to the deadly coronavirus pandemic.
The banning of protests also comes after trouble broke out at another anti-police demonstration in the French capital. According to an international media report, thousands had turned up despite a police ban on the event in memory of Adama Traore, a 24-year-old black Frenchman who died in a 2016 police operation which some have likened to George Floyd’s death.
George Floyd's death
Protests over the death of George Floyd have been raging across the globe despite COVID-19 pandemic. George Floyd died in police custody and in viral footage, the police officer, who has now been arrested, coulGeorged be seen kneeling over Floyd’s neck while he was struggling for breath while being handcuffed. Demonstrators reportedly said that the focus of the protests is the alleged institutional bigotry in American police forces.
The support for George Floyd and Black Lives Matter has been pouring from different parts of the globe even as the world battles the deadly coronavirus pandemic. Protests have rocked not just parts of US, but demonstrations have been taking place in Netherlands, London, Manchester as well. Earlier this week, protesters in the French city of Lyon also gathered outside the Palais the Justice to demonstrate against police violence and racial injustice. As per reports, across France, protesters have taken to the streets to express outrage.
(Image credit: AP)
12:44 IST, June 6th 2020