Anti-capitalists take over climate protest to rail against ban on marches imposed after terror attacks on city

This article is more than 4 years old

This article is more than 4 years old

A day of celebration and hope in Paris disintegrated into rioting and clashes with police on Sunday, after anti-capitalists and anarchists hijacked a peaceful event organised by climate activists earlier in the day.

About 200 protesters, some wearing masks, fought with police on a street leading to la place de la République, which has become a gathering place for Parisians since the terror attacks on 13 November that killed 130 people. Witnesses said floral and other tributes were trampled in the melee.

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About 100 protesters were arrested and the gathering was cleared by police using batons and teargas.

Earlier on Sunday, there had been a carnival atmosphere in the square before the climate summit due to begin on the city’s outskirts on Monday. Thousands of shoes, including a pair belonging to Pope Francis, had been symbolically laid in the square to represent a climate march that was cancelled by authorities after the terror attacks.

The environmental pressure group 350.org had organised a human chain that ran past the Bataclan, the concert venue where dozens of people died in the terror attacks. A gap was left in the human chain to represent the victims.

However, at lunchtime a group of anti-capitalist protesters began marching around the statue in the centre of the place de la République. At first they were outnumbered by those from the more peaceful climate groups. When two men began singing La Marseillaise, the French national anthem, they were shouted down by the crowd.

“It is a song for war,” said Arora Medieu. “Two weeks ago people sang La Marseillaise to join the sadness the French people had. Today is nothing about what happened two weeks ago. We don’t have to sing for war but to be united for a big, important, beautiful cause.”

But almost immediately afterwards the fight began. About 200 anarchists, apparently led by the “black bloc” group, charged at police in a side street. The police responded with teargas and flash bangs.

It was, said protester, a demonstration against the “police state” that has cracked down on activism since the terror attacks.

“The security state cannot live with manifestation [the French right to assembly],” she said. “The state of France is founded on the right to manifestation.”

The situation deteriorated quickly as police restricted access to the square and launched dozens of teargas missiles into the crowd.

Police were pelted with glass bottles, cans, sticks and a skateboard. At one point a series of large bangs made the crowd fall back in fear. It was a reminder of the psychological affect the terror attacks have left on this city, but once the crowd realised that the bangs were set off by police they surged back.

The votive candles that have piled up on the monument in the centre of Place de la Republiqué since the terror attacks were also hurled at police. Afterwards the street was littered with broken glass, candles and flowers.

A protester who was handing out eyedrops said people had the right to march for things they believe in, no matter the security situation.

“It’s not just about climate change,” he said. “It’s about the current state in France. The streets belong to us.”

By the late afternoon the air in la place de la République was still acrid with the smoke from police canisters. About 250 protesters were kettled by police in one corner of the square, with no one allowed in or out.

