The authorities do not want supporters on the most beautiful avenue in the world. In a new decree published this Tuesday, the Paris police headquarters prohibits gatherings of supporters on the Champs-Élysées until January 1 at 2 a.m. Either after the last match of the group stages of the African Cup of Nations (CAN).
A first decree had already been published. From December 21 to January 19, i.e. for the entire duration of the African Cup of Nations, no gathering of supporters was authorized on the Avenue des Champs-Élysées. The institution writes “that there is a serious risk that (…) supporters of the teams playing the matches will gather in the Champs-Élysées area and in particular use pyrotechnic devices”. It highlights, among other things, the numerous tourists on the Avenue du VIIIe arrondissement.
Also, the police headquarters justifies this ban by the high attendance of the place, “particularly during the end of year festivities”, but also by the fact that “previous editions of this competition have been the setting for excesses and disturbances to public order on the Champs-Élysées and in their surroundings”.
In 2024 for example, the year in which Côte d’Ivoire was crowned, around ten people were arrested amid scenes of jubilation in the capital, and in particular on the Champs-Élysées.
The initial order withdrawn
For this new edition of the CAN, a large perimeter was designed by the “PP”, going from the Dauphine and Maillot gates (16th century) to the Jardin des Tuileries (1st). Also included were the banks of the Seine, from the Carrousel bridge to the Alma bridge.
In this sector, the police headquarters prohibited any supporter from carrying “weapons by nature and (…) any objects likely to constitute a weapon”, “fireworks”, “pyrotechnic articles”, “substances or (…) dangerous, flammable or corrosive mixtures”, or even “protective equipment”.
Except that three days later, and the day after the opening match between Morocco and the Comoros, the police headquarters published a new decree, withdrawing the first. “The administrative court invalidated the initial order,” a source close to the case tells us.
Despite everything, gatherings will remain prohibited… at least during the group stage, initially. Thus, a third decree was published on Tuesday, December 23, in the same terms as the first. Only the dates of application change: until January 1 at 2 a.m., i.e. after the last match of the CAN group stages.
Other bans to be expected?
“The same system (as the initial decree) will be put in place during the CAN matches by different prefectural decrees,” continues our source. Thus, it cannot be ruled out that other bans will be issued by the “PP” during the rest of the competition.
During the last edition of the CAN, in February 2024, the police headquarters established a security perimeter in a similar sector, prohibiting groupings only from the semi-finals. On the other hand, during the last Football World Cup, in the winter of 2022, no ban on gatherings was decided in the capital.
