After riots, France bans fireworks sale possession and transport
New Delhi : In the aftermath of widespread riots triggered by the fatal shooting of a teenager by police, the French government announced on Sunday a comprehensive ban on the sale, possession, and transport of fireworks during the upcoming July 14 national holiday weekend.
Fireworks became a weapon of choice during the recent unrest that erupted across France following the police officer's shooting of a 17-year-old during a routine traffic stop near Paris on June 27. The incident reignited long-standing frustrations and allegations of systemic racism within France's security forces.
A government decree, published in the official Journal on Sunday, stated, "To prevent the risk of serious public order disturbances during the July 14 festivities, the sale, possession, transport, and use of pyrotechnical articles and fireworks are prohibited until July 15 inclusively."
However, the ban does not apply to professionals or municipalities organizing traditional fireworks displays for the Bastille Day celebrations.
Expressing concerns about the potential resurgence of rioting, Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne assured the French public in an interview with Le Parisien on Saturday that the government would deploy "massive means to protect the French" during the national holiday.
Fireworks have been a customary element of Bastille Day celebrations and are also frequently employed during protests in the country.
The police shooting of Nahel M., a teenager of Algerian descent, in the Paris suburb of Nanterre, instigated the most severe urban violence witnessed in France since 2005.
According to official figures, over 3,700 individuals, including at least 1,160 minors, have been taken into police custody in connection with the protests following Nahel's death.
