Toulouse: undeclared demonstrations still prohibited in the hypercentre
Like last Saturday, the prefect of Haute-Garonne announces the ban on access to the hypercentre of Toulouse to any undeclared protest rally this Saturday, February 5. Access to the boulevards remains authorized.
Every Saturday thousands of demonstrators mobilize in Toulouse as in several cities in France to voice their anger regarding the health measures currently in force in France, in particular the introduction of the vaccination collar. And like every Saturday, the prefect of the Occitanie region, prefect of Haute-Garonne, prohibits access to the hypercentre of Toulouse to any undeclared protest rally on Saturday February 5, 2022. A ban decided by the prefect for several reasons . The first concerns precisely the current health situation in the department.
“As of February 3, 2022, an incidence rate of 4,460 positive screened cases per 100,000 people in the department is reported, while the maximum alert threshold is set at 250 positive screened cases per 100,000 people” , indicates the prefecture in a press release. And as with each ban announcement, the prefect indicates that during the gatherings which are nevertheless prohibited in the city center of Toulouse, “it was noted the non-respect of barrier measures and social distancing, which is likely to promote the spread of the Covid-19 virus in the event of high population density”.
Access to authorized boulevards
The second reason justifying this ban on demonstrating in the city center is linked to disturbances to public order during previous mobilizations “in the course included, in particular, acts of violence took place within the procession, anarchic wanderings in the center- city of Toulouse, an obstruction to traffic by means of metal barriers placed on the public highway by demonstrators, attempts to break into the town hall of Toulouse and the regional prefecture, violence, throwing of projectiles and outrages committed on different occasions and causing injuries among the police, the invasion of several places as well as damage to street furniture and terraces.
Undeclared protest rallies are therefore prohibited this Saturday, February 5, 2022 within the perimeter delimited by the routes designated below (these are not included therein) in the city center of Toulouse:
– Boulingrin roundabout,
– alleys Jules Guesdes,
– Paul Feuga alleys,
– Saint-Michel bridge,
– Charles de Fitte aisles,
– Catalan bridge,
– avenue Paul Sejourne,
– boulevard Lascrosses,
– Boulevard d’Arcole,
– Strasbourg Boulevard,
– boulevard Lazare-Carnot,
– alley Forain François Verdier,
– Boulingrin roundabout.
As was the case previously, the prohibition order for Saturday February 5, 2022 relates only to the territory of the city center bounded by the boulevards (the latter not being included therein). Thus, these events are not prohibited as such, provided that they do not enter the perimeter of the hypercentre of Toulouse and that barrier gestures are applied there.