A major gathering of Muslims in northern Paris is proceeding as planned after a French administrative court overturned a government attempt to ban it. The Paris police department had argued that the four-day Annual Encounter of Muslims of France posed a security threat, claiming it could be a target for terrorism in what they described as a particularly tense international and national context.
The organizers, the Muslims of France (MF) association, sought an emergency injunction to allow the event, contending that a ban would breach basic liberties. The court agreed, ruling just two hours before the scheduled opening that police evidence "did not establish the risk of counter-demonstrations, or that the gathering would be targeted by far-right groups." It also dismissed claims of an unacceptable strain on police resources, noting organizers had assured extra security.
The event, part cultural and religious conference and part trade fair, had been an annual occurrence but has not been held since 2019, previously drawing tens of thousands from across Europe. Critics allege the MF association, France's largest Muslim body, is close to the international Muslim Brotherhood, though it denies this.
The ban coincided with France's announcement of plans for a new "anti-separatism" law, purportedly aimed at Muslim structures promoting ideas deemed contrary to republican principles. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez claimed the law would complement a previous similar one, allowing the government to close associations accused of Islamic separatism, and allegedly seeks to control publications inciting hate or violence.
The MF's lawyer, Sefen Guez Guez, argued at the injunction hearing that the ban was a "manifest breach of the right to assemble" and clearly aimed at "promoting the new law." A police lawyer countered that the sole reason was to preserve public order, insisting it was not an anti-Muslim decree. This development highlights ongoing tensions in France regarding religious freedoms and security measures under the current administration.
Source: www.bbc.com