Retailleau “strengthens vigilance” in the face of “potential gatherings”

A year after the October 7 massacres in Israel, the new Minister of the Interior takes the lead. Bruno Retailleau asked the prefects on Saturday to “reinforce vigilance” during the “potential gatherings” on the anniversary of the October 7 massacre in Israel and the start of the war in Gaza.

“As the anniversary of the pogroms of October 7 which cost the lives of more than 1,195 people including 42 of our compatriots, I gave clear instructions to the prefects to strengthen vigilance in the face of potential gatherings.posted the minister on his X account (formerly Twitter).

Bruno Retailleau thus asked the prefects to “quickly report upcoming gatherings and mobilizations” and“adapt security measures in conjunction with intelligence services”.

He also recommended“prohibit demonstrations likely to cause serious disturbance” and of “report any call or slogan relating to the criminal field, in connection with the judicial authority”.

“I will not let anti-Semitism flourish and tarnish the memory of the victims. We will be intractable”he continued.

Several gatherings planned in France

Several gatherings are planned in France, notably in Paris or Marseille.

The Hamas attack led to the death of 1,205 people on the Israeli side, the majority of them civilians killed on October 7, according to an AFP count based on official Israeli figures and including hostages who died or were killed in captivity in the Gaza Strip. Of the 251 people taken as hostages on October 7, 97 are still detained in Gaza, 33 of whom were declared dead by the Israeli army.

More than 41,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli military campaign of retaliation on the Gaza Strip, the majority civilians, according to data from the Hamas government’s Health Ministry for Gaza, deemed reliable by the UN.

According to the Israeli army, 348 of its soldiers have been killed in the military campaign on Gaza since the ground offensive began on October 27.