Paris bans Canada-style protests on anti-Covid curbs

Paris police said Thursday they would ban so-called “freedom convoys” inspired by a truckers’ protest against coronavirus restrictions that has paralysed the Canadian capital Ottawa.

“There will be a special deployment... to prevent blockages of major roads, issue tickets and arrest those who infringe on this protest ban,” the city’s police force said in a statement.

The force recalled that people blocking roads faced up to two years in prison, a fine of 4,500 euros ($5,140) and a three-year driving ban.

Paris’ move comes after a number of convoys of cars, vans and motorbikes set off from around France on Wednesday, inspired by the two-week blockade of central Ottawa by truckers angry at testing and vaccine requirements for crossing the border with the US.

Eyhande Abeberry, 52, a participant at the send-off in the southern city of Bayonne, told AFP that the government’s vaccine pass for access to much of public life was “an aberration”.