France’s interior minister has banned all pro-Palestinian demonstrations in the country.
In a statement, Gérald Darmanin ordered foreign nationals who break the rules to be “systematically” deported.
The move comes as European governments fear a rise in antisemitism triggered by the Israel-Hamas war.
On Thursday, German police broke up a pro-Palestinian demonstration in Berlin.
France has a Jewish community of almost 500,000, the biggest in Europe. France’s Muslim community is also among Europe’s largest – an estimated five million.
Mr Darmanin told regional prefects that Jewish schools and synagogues should be protected by a visible police presence.
He earlier told French radio that 100 antisemitic acts had been recorded since Saturday. Most involved graffiti showing “swastikas, ‘death to Jews,’ calls to intifadas against Israel”.
However, some incidents included people being arrested attempting to carry knives into schools and synagogues, he added.
French police are already guarding the homes of leading MPs. National Assembly President, Yaël Braun-Pivet, and MP, Meyer Habib, have been offered further protection.
In a separate move, Germany’s Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, declared “zero tolerance” for antisemitism.
He told parliament a pro-Palestinian group that had celebrated the murders of Israeli civilians on Saturday would be banned.
Berlin police have also banned planned pro-Palestinian demonstrations, citing the risk of antisemitic statements and glorification of violence. Authorities said around 60 demonstrators complied with an order to leave Berlin’s Potsdamer Platz on Thursday.
French President, Emmanuel Macron, was due to give a TV address on Wednesday in a bid to prevent the war from escalating tensions.
—BBC
