Police order last-minute ban of Iranian opposition rally in Paris
French Police Ban Iranian Opposition Rally Amid Tensions
By John Irish
Details of the Ban and Official Statements
PARIS, June 19 (Reuters) - French police banned the Paris-based NCRI Iranian opposition from holding a rally on Saturday, saying there was a risk of clashes between activists holding opposing views, an argument the group described as "bogus".
The sudden ruling came hours after a call between France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot and his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araqchi, where they discussed the latest developments to end the Iran war.
Foreign Ministry Response
France's foreign ministry rejected an allegation by the Iranian group, the National Council of Resistance of Iran, that the ban was linked to the call.
"This allegation is false. The (Iranian) minister did not mention this protest or request its cancellation," the ministry said in a statement sent to Reuters.
Police Justification
The Paris police said it had made the decision in the light of a particularly tense national and international context.
"There is a serious risk that clashes between activists holding opposing views could occur during this demonstration, likely to seriously disrupt public order," it said in the ruling seen by Reuters.
Past rallies by the group have not resulted in clashes; its last demonstration in the French capital in February 2025 ended without incident.
Organisers' Response
"After business hours on the evening of Thursday, June 18, the Paris Police Prefecture banned the planned demonstration of 100,000 people against the wave of political executions in Iran, scheduled for Saturday, June 20, citing bogus reasons," it said.
Organisers had coordinated with police for two months and followed all the legal procedures, the statement said.
Contrasting Decisions and Broader Context
Other Events in Paris
A separate concert with several Israeli artists to be held on Sunday as part of the annual Paris music festival was given the go-ahead despite concerns that it could meet opposition from pro-Palestinian supporters, a French official said. The French police did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Background on NCRI and Previous Bans
GROUP HAD FACED BAN IN 2023
The Paris-based NCRI, political arm of the People's Mujahideen Organisation of Iran, has held frequent rallies in the French capital over the years. They have been attended by thousands of people, including high-profile former U.S., European and Arab officials critical of the Islamic Republic.
It is unclear how much support it has in Iran, but along with its bitter rival, the monarchists backing Reza Pahlavi, exiled son of the toppled shah, it is one of the few opposition groups able to rally supporters.
Tehran, which has banned the NCRI in Iran, has long called for a crackdown on its activities in Paris, Washington and the Saudi capital Riyadh. The group, whose sources of funding and support are unclear, is regularly lambasted by Iranian state media.
NCRI said it was appealing the decision to ban its rally.
2023 Court Reversal
In 2023, a court reversed an initial decision by the French capital's police to ban an NCRI rally. At the time the police had said the ban had been motivated by security concerns.
That ban came just days after the release of an Iranian diplomat convicted of masterminding a plot to bomb the group in 2018 during a gathering on the outskirts of Paris.
French Government Perspective on Iran
Speaking earlier on French TV, Barrot said Iran's population had been the biggest victims of the war and that the killing of Iranians during protests in January should not be forgotten.
Support for Artists in Exile
He said France was setting up a platform to allow artists in exile to fully express themselves, independent of any political considerations.
"Iran is, above all, a great people, and we distinguish between the Iranian regime and Iran itself," he said.
(Additional reporting by Dominique Vidalon; editing by Philippa Fletcher)
