14 July: Elisabeth Bourne announces “massive French defenses”.

The date is on everyone’s mind. Fearing renewed riots on the occasion of National Day, next July 14, Prime Minister Elisabeth Bourne announced this Saturday in an interview with Le Parisien that the government would use “massive means to protect the French” that day.

After a lull in recent days in the unrest that followed the death of young Nahel, ” elected officials and residents that I met on the spot are really very concerned about the prospect of National Day and possible new incidents,” says Elizabeth Bourne. “Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin will clarify this, but the means to protect the French will be huge” during the two “sensitive days” of 13 and 14 July, the prime minister assured.

“There’s no question” of canceling July 14, Veran says.

Tenant Matignon also signed a decree, to be published Sunday in the Official Journal, to ban the sale, porting and transport of fireworks mortars during the July 14 celebrations, she told us. “Only professionals who will organize fireworks in municipalities will be able to buy them,” says Elizabeth Born.

Used for pyrotechnic shows, firework mortars have been stolen and used as weapons against law enforcement for several years. Last week, Minister of the Interior Gérald Darmanin issued an order banning the sale and transport of this equipment, as well as canisters of gasoline, acids, flammables and chemicals.

Government spokesman Olivier Véran also assured on Thursday that the state would do “everything to ensure security and public peace” on July 14, while police expect renewed tensions. “There can be no question of considering that [la fête nationale] must give way to several thousand rebels in our cities, ”he decided at the LCI.