02 Jan 2025 | 09:21 AM UTC
France: Rival groups plan protests in Nancy Jan. 5
Rival groups of activists plan protests in Nancy, France, Jan. 5. Increased security, localized disruptions likely.
Rival groups plan to protest in central Nancy on Jan. 5. Civil society groups and antifascist associations will gather from 16:30 at the Statue of Jeanne d'Arc on rue d'Amerval to denounce a planned rally by nationalist groups. The details of this latter march are not apparent. At similar rival protests in Nancy in mid-2024, several dozen nationalist activists and over two thousand counter-protestors gathered in the city; similar numbers are possible Jan. 5.
Authorities are likely to deploy additional police to monitor the gatherings. Additional security measures and road closures will likely prompt localized transport and business disruptions near the demonstrations. Confrontations and scuffles are possible between protestors and police and between protesters and rival activists.
Avoid the protests as a standard precaution. Plan for delays and consider alternative routes if operating close to the protest sites on Jan. 5. Heed instruction from local authorities. Leave the area immediately at the first signs of confrontation.
