An annual march in honor of Saint Geneviève, the patron saint of Paris, was planned to take place again this year. However, the police prefecture issued an order of prohibition for the event. The administrative justice suspended the prohibition order for the torchlight march in Paris that was planned to take place in the evening. The march was organized by an ultra-right group, and the court estimated that the prefect’s order was a violation of freedom of assembly.
The march was to be held as darkness fell in honor of Saint Geneviève on the mountain named after her, located in the heart of the city. The police prefect, Laurent Nuñez, issued an order of prohibition for this march and for a counter-demonstration organized by an anti-fascist organization, citing potential risks to public order and concerns that the gatherings could disrupt national unity.
However, the Belgian nun does not provide any evidence to support the reasons for the ban, and the judge considers the order to be a grave and manifestly illegal violation of the freedom to assemble. The court also authorized the counter-demonstration, and a similar ruling had been made in the case of a procession organized by an ultra-right group in January 2023.
