Should we really ban all gatherings on the Champs-Élysées this Sunday evening for the CAN final? While a new decree has been issued by the police headquarters to prevent gatherings of supporters, while Senegal and Morocco will face each other, Frédéric Hocquard, deputy for tourism and nightlife at the City of Paris, takes a clear position.
“I am surprised that we cannot come and celebrate a football match when we are supporters of a CAN team,” laments the elected environmentalist. It’s a tradition to party on the Champs after a match. Especially since 45 players participating in the CAN were born in Île-de-France, the largest contingent in the world. »
Speaking to Le Parisien, Frédéric Hocquard indicated this Saturday that he understood “the constraints linked to security and public order” but he was concerned that “under the pretext that there could be excesses or provocations, a gathering should be preventively banned”.
“They are residents of Paris and Île-de-France like the others”
It’s the preventive aspect that bothers the Parisian elected official: “If people make a mess, it’s another thing to fine them. » He, who would have preferred to be able to discuss the measures to be taken with the police chief, believes that “if the idea is to say that every time we party and there are excesses, and we stop being able to party, it’s annoying”.
According to him, “we are taking a slope which in my opinion is not the right one”, especially since “this is not the first time that we have seen measures of this type”. The police headquarters have already issued several orders for this CAN, and the last one for the final is causing discontent among Ile-de-France supporters. During the night of last Wednesday to Thursday, thousands of Moroccan supporters nevertheless defied the ban on the Champs.
“What are we going to do next?” asks Frédéric Hocquard. If PSG wins the Champions League again, will fans be banned from celebrating the victory? As for the CAN, perhaps we consider the supporters of Senegal or Morocco to be more vocal supporters? They are residents of Paris and Île-de-France like the others. We don’t sort based on that. »
“The Champs-Élysées must remain the avenue for everyone”
The elected official for the City of Paris is not the only one to have deplored the ban on gatherings on the Champs-Élysées this Sunday evening. “At the end of December, I asked the police prefect to lift the ban on celebrating CAN on the Champs-Élysées,” recalls the president of the Seine-Saint-Denis departmental council, Stéphane Troussel, on X. A new decree still prohibits any celebration for the Morocco – Senegal grand final. So I renew my request! »
The elected socialist underlines that “the CAN is a great popular competition”. “What is authorized for all sporting event celebrations must also be authorized this weekend with the same security rules! What are the reasons for this difference in treatment? The Champs-Élysées must remain the avenue for everyone. »
