- ANTARA FOTO/M N Kanwa
France – France has banned the sale of fireworks ahead of Bastille Day – a national French celebration for a week, including the July 14 national holiday weekend, following a violent protest sparked by the police killing of a 17-year-old teenager, Nahel M.
"To prevent the risk of serious disturbances to public order during the July 14 festivities, the sale, possession, transport, and use of pyrotechnical articles and fireworks are banned until July 15 inclusively," said a government decree published in the Official Journal on Sunday.
France is still reeling from violent protest sparked when Nahel was shot dead by police in Nanterre, a suburb of Paris on June 27.
Kerusuhan terjadi di Prancis saat aksi protes atas penembakan yang dilakukan polisi terhadap remaja berusia 17 tahun.
- AP Photo.
Five nights of violence followed during which protesters often used fireworks to attack security officers. Earlier protests against reforms to the French retirement system also saw the use of fireworks.
Speaking to France's Le Parisien daily on Saturday, French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne said that she had met with several representatives and residents across the country who expressed fear regarding "possible new incidents" during the Bastille Day celebrations.
She also vowed that the government would deploy "massive means to protect France" during the national holiday.
However, the ban does not include fireworks displays organized by professional parties or municipalities that are traditionally planned to mark the national day.
The killing of Nahel M by police sparked the worst urban violence in France since 2005. More than 3,700 people, at least 1,160 minors, have been detained by police in connection with protests since Nahel's death, according to official figures.
