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Paris Halts Free L2B Concert After Les Halles Clashes Leave 4 Police Injured, 8 Detained

Authorities cite overcrowding far beyond the planned capacity, prompting cancellation of the second set.

Overview

  • The free outdoor show at Forum des Halles, part of the Centrale Place festival, was capped at 800 but about 2,000 were inside by 5 p.m., with additional crowds pressing at the perimeter.
  • After the first part concluded, the Préfecture requested cancellation of the second set shortly before 7 p.m. and ordered dispersal as pressure from the crowd intensified.
  • During clearance, officers were hit with projectiles, CRS deployed tear gas, and widely shared videos show a plainclothes policeman knocked to the ground and struck.
  • Police report four officers injured and eight people in custody, with the scene declared under control around 7:50–8 p.m. and a security presence maintained.
  • The episode revived criticism of planning for free events in dense urban sites, with police-union figures and opposition leaders publicly condemning the violence.