French MPs condemn authoritarian plans to curtail gilets jaunes protests

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Politicians on left and centre say controversial measures threaten civil liberties

French politicians have approved controversial measures to ban what the government calls “brute” troublemakers from street demonstrations as gilets jaunes (yellow vests) anti-government protests enter their 12th week.

There were tense and heated exchanges in parliament late on Wednesday night, including from rebels within Emmanuel Macron’s own centrist party, as deputies backed giving regional prefects – local state security officials – the power to ban people presumed to be violent from taking part in demonstrations.

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from The Guardian http://bit.ly/2GeYNBF

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