revision
06-21-2009, 04:35 PM
France bans wearing masks in protests
Sun, 21 Jun 2009 08:24:16 GMT
http://www.presstv.com/detail.aspx?id=98659§ionid=351020603
The French government has forbidden the concealment of individuals' faces during demonstrations, after the NATO summit protests in April turned ugly.
French Prime Minister François Fillon has signed a new decree into law that allows the government forces to crack down on masked protesters during a demonstration.
The new law, introduced by the Interior Minister Michele Alliot-Marie, was ratified by President Sarkozy's administration in bid to prevent repetitions of future eruptions of violence as happened during a NATO summit held in Strasbourg in April.
The ban makes it illegal for demonstrators who "voluntarily conceal the face in order not to be identified in circumstances raising fears of attacks on public order," French media reported.
The new regulation, though, allows room to legal "protests that comply with local practices or when concealing the face is justified by a legitimate motive.”
According to the new edict, perpetrators of the offense would face a fine of €1,500 ($2,094) for the first violation and €3,000 ($4,187) for a second transgression within a year.
During April's NATO summit, masked demonstrators of the so-called Black Block engaged in clashes with the French police that led to criticisms from human rights groups on the handling of the protest issues in France.
Sun, 21 Jun 2009 08:24:16 GMT
http://www.presstv.com/detail.aspx?id=98659§ionid=351020603
The French government has forbidden the concealment of individuals' faces during demonstrations, after the NATO summit protests in April turned ugly.
French Prime Minister François Fillon has signed a new decree into law that allows the government forces to crack down on masked protesters during a demonstration.
The new law, introduced by the Interior Minister Michele Alliot-Marie, was ratified by President Sarkozy's administration in bid to prevent repetitions of future eruptions of violence as happened during a NATO summit held in Strasbourg in April.
The ban makes it illegal for demonstrators who "voluntarily conceal the face in order not to be identified in circumstances raising fears of attacks on public order," French media reported.
The new regulation, though, allows room to legal "protests that comply with local practices or when concealing the face is justified by a legitimate motive.”
According to the new edict, perpetrators of the offense would face a fine of €1,500 ($2,094) for the first violation and €3,000 ($4,187) for a second transgression within a year.
During April's NATO summit, masked demonstrators of the so-called Black Block engaged in clashes with the French police that led to criticisms from human rights groups on the handling of the protest issues in France.