In brief
In a landmark decision, a French court has overturned a government ban on the Annual Encounter of Muslims of France in Paris, affirming the importance of civil liberties in public gatherings. The ruling emphasized the lack of substantial evidence for security threats, allowing the event, which was last held in 2019, to take place as planned.
A major gathering of Muslims in northern Paris is going ahead as planned after a French court overturned a government bid to ban it. The Paris police department argued that the four-day Annual Encounter of Muslims of France was a security threat because it could be a target of terrorism.But the organisers – the Muslims of France (MF) association – sought an emergency injunction to let the event go ahead, arguing that a ban would be a breach of basic liberties. The administrative court agreed and overturned the government decree, just two hours before the planned 14:00 (13:00 BST) opening.The court said in its ruling that elements provided by police 'did not establish the risk of counter-demonstrations, or that the gathering would be targeted by far-right groups.' It also dismissed the argument that the event would pose an unacceptable strain on police resources, noting that the organisers had themselves assured extra security.Part cultural and religious conference, part trade fair, the gathering used to be an annual event but has not been held since 2019. Before that, it regularly drew tens of thousands of people from across Europe. The Muslims of France association - France's biggest Muslim body - is said by critics to be close to the international Muslim Brotherhood, though it denies that.Earlier, in justifying the ban, the Paris police department said that in 'an international and national context which is particularly tense,' the gathering was 'exposed to an important terrorist risk toward the Muslim community.' They also claimed that small far-right groups could potentially disrupt the event.Despite the contentious backdrop, the court's decision signals a continued commitment to safeguarding assembly rights and civil liberties in France, particularly amidst rising concerns about state control over religious expression.
