The government of France has closed down three Muslim mosques and made more arrests as it continues with it state of emergency after the attacks in Paris on Nov. 13.
The government of France has shut down and closed three Muslim mosques for what it declares has been a “pattern of radicalization” that had been going on within their walls. The French Interior Ministry reported on Wednesday they had shut the mosques down with one of them being in the eastern part of Paris.
The Interior Ministry continued to try and validate the continued state of emergency in the country by declaring that it is the terrorists that threaten everyone’s freedom and not the continued state of emergency being enforced by the government. The Interior Ministry also reported that they had arrested nine people they are calling “radicalized individuals,” according to USA Today. In addition to the nine being detained, the police have prevented another 22 individuals from leaving France.
The state of emergency has been extended through February 2016 and has been approved by the French parliament. As with any declared state of emergency by a government, any rights that had been secured by the citizenry are suspended giving the government the self approval to do pretty much anything it wants. According to the French government, protocols regarding searches no longer apply and there are now restrictions with regard to public assembly and gatherings.
The Interior Minister of France, Bernard Cazaneuve, actually publicly declared the Muslim mosques to be “pseudo religious associations.”
Cazaneuve reported that police have found a hard drive hidden in a wall as well as jihadist propaganda in recent searches. Police have also discovered the existence of a Koranic school that is existing without the consent of the government.
In addition, the Interior Ministry stated that government soldiers and police had conducted 2,235 searches since the attacks. Government forces have also seized 334 weapons and made 263 arrests. While public polling has found that over 90 percent of France’s citizenry are going along with the extended state of emergency, several civil rights groups and politicians have become concerned about abuses especially with the police.
