Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of the French capital, Paris, on Sunday, to protest against a new immigration bill.
The demonstrations coincided with International Migrants Day, which falls on December 18 of each year.
The demonstrators, who headed to central Paris, carried banners reading “France, illegal” and “Racists, fascists, get out of our streets.”
They chanted slogans such as “Solidarity with illegal immigrants” and “We are not dangerous, immigrants are in danger.”
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The protesters also called for more solidarity with irregular migrants, expressing their opposition to the immigration bill promoted by Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin.
They demanded that irregular migrants be provided with official documents that would allow them to legally reside in the country.
In this regard, Abdullah Hot, an immigrant from Senegal who does not hold official documents, told Anadolu Agency that he “has been in the country for about eight years and works in construction.”
Hot added that he participated in the protest “for freedom and equality for all”.
The French government is preparing to introduce a regulation with the bill that would allow immigrants whose deportation has been ordered to be placed on a “wanted list” in order to facilitate deportations.