Paris bans Canada-style protests on anti-Covid-19 curbs: Police

PARIS (AFP, REUTERS) - Paris police said on Thursday (Feb 10) 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 blockage 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 said people blocking roads faced up to two years in prison, a fine of €4,500 (S$6,900) 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 and are set to converge on the French capital.

They have been inspired by the two-week blockade of central Ottawa by truckers angry at testing and vaccine requirements for crossing the border with the US.

Copycat protests have also sprung up in Australia and New Zealand.

Departures are expected from more cities across France on Thursday.

The Paris prefecture said the protesters would be prohibited from entering the capital from Feb 11 to Feb 14, citing the risk of public disorder.

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

Government spokesman Gabriel Attal said he recognised the public's "weariness" with infection control measures, but insisted that France had been among the European countries with "the fewest restrictions that infringe on citizens' freedom".

Far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen said that she "understood" the protesters' goals, saying that it was "another form of the yellow vests" demonstrations against President Emmanuel Macron that rocked France in 2018.