"The thugs and the black blocks, we are waiting for them firmly and we will disperse them", assured Monday evening the prefect of police of Paris, Laurent Nuñez, on the eve of the 14th day of mobilization of opponents of the pension reform .
Some 250 actions are planned in France, which should bring together 400,000 to 600,000 people, including 40,000 to 70,000 in the capital, according to the authorities. 11,000 police and gendarmes will be deployed, including 4,000 in Paris, where a thousand radicals, including some from abroad, are expected, according to police sources.
"There is the freedom to demonstrate (...) it is complicated to prevent them from coming to demonstrate", argued on BFMTV the prefect of police, ensuring to be "very determined" and "serene".
"The thugs and the black blocks come to sow chaos, disorder (...) They come to disrupt the demonstration", continued Laurent Nuñez, calling "for the responsibility of each other" not to interfere to these radicals, hooded and dressed all in black, during the demonstration.
He also mentioned the presence of "individuals who watch and encourage" the black blocs to intervene.
According to a police source, ultra-left figures, Antonin Bernanos and his brother, Angel, have been seen in several demonstrations against the pension reform. It was the same last fall for far-left activist Julien Coupat.
For the prefect, "there is something political among the black blocs" and their tactic consists of "seeking to involve the forces of order and then taking them to task".
06/05/2023 23:32:31 - Paris (AFP) - © 2023 AFP
