France bans fireworks sales amid fears of renewed violence over Bastille Day weekend
Fireworks explode above the Eiffel Tower as part of the annual Bastille Day celebrations in Paris
By Niamh Kennedy, CNN
(CNN) — France has banned the sale, possession and transport of fireworks over the Bastille Day weekend next week amid fears of renewed riots.
Protesters have been filmed launching fireworks during the wave of violent riots that gripped the country following the fatal shooting of a 17-year-old teenager by a police officer in late June.
“In order to prevent the risk of serious public disorder during the July 14th festivities, the sale, carrying, transport and use of pyrotechnic articles and fireworks are prohibited throughout France until July 15th inclusive,” according to the decree published in the official French government journal on Sunday.
Bastille Day, which is France’s national day, is celebrated annually on July 14 with spectacular firework displays organized countrywide.
The decree, which came into effect immediately, does not apply to professionals or local areas organizing firework displays for the holiday.
France’s Prime Minister, Elisabeth Borne, had promised “massive measures to protect French people” during July 13-14 which she described as “sensitive days” in an interview with Le Parisien newspaper, published Saturday.
In the same interview, Borne confirmed that the French government is considering fining the parents of minors involved in rioting, according to CNN affiliate BFMTV.
On Tuesday, French President Emmanuel Macron proposed imposing “a sort of minimum tariff from the first stupid act” on the parents of minors, according to CNN affiliate BFMTV.
Borne told Le Parisien that the government is looking into the measure and is ready to “evolve the law” if needed, according to BFMTV.
“Today, when an adult commits an act of this nature, we can have recourse through a fixed fine. It’s fast and efficient. This is not possible for minors. We are thus going to construct a provision that permits this,” Borne said.
Minors as young as 12 and 13 years old were detained by police during the recent riots, according to the country’s Interior Minister, Gerald Darmanin.
Darmanin told journalists last weekend that the average age of thousands of people detained by French police was 17.
The-CNN-Wire
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