French police ban annual Muslim event over terror attack risk

Lead

Paris police have banned the 40th Annual Gathering of the Muslims of France, a four-day event scheduled to begin Friday at the Paris–Le Bourget Exhibition Centre, citing a "major terrorist risk" and the potential for disruption by small far-right groups. The decision, announced Thursday by Paris Police Chief Patrice Faure, has drawn sharp reactions from organizers, who call it a violation of freedom of assembly, and from at least one prominent Muslim leader who welcomed the move.

Coverage Comparison

The ban was widely reported across international media, with most outlets framing it primarily as a security measure. The BBC and France 24 emphasized the official rationale—the terrorist threat and risk of public disorder—while also noting the organizers' legal challenge. The Jerusalem Post took a more supportive stance, highlighting the praise from French Imam Hassen Chalghoumi and using strong language about the event's alleged links to the Muslim Brotherhood. RFI and France 24 also noted the broader political context, including a foiled bomb attack in Paris and upcoming legislation targeting radical Islamist elements.

Key Claims

• Security rationale: The official order, signed by Paris Police Chief Patrice Faure, said the event was "exposed to a significant terrorist risk targeting the Muslim community," and that "small far-right groups" might attempt to disrupt it. This justification was reported uniformly by the BBC, France 24, RFI, and the Jerusalem Post.
• Foiled bomb plot: Multiple reports noted that the ban follows a foiled attempt last weekend to bomb the Bank of America building in Paris. French prosecutors said the attack may have been linked to a pro-Iran group, though this connection remains under investigation.
• Organizers' response: The head of the organizing body, Makhlouf Mameche, confirmed the ban and said the group would file an emergency appeal with the Paris Administrative Court. The group's lawyer, Sefen Guez Guez, called the ban "a clear violation of freedom of assembly," a phrase reported by France 24 and RFI; other reports described it as a "manifest breach of the right to assemble."
• Support for the ban: French Imam Hassen Chalghoumi publicly thanked the authorities for a "courageous decision," describing the event as "the largest Muslim Brotherhood gathering in Europe." This endorsement was reported by the Jerusalem Post but not mentioned in other sources.
• Muslim Brotherhood links: The BBC and Jerusalem Post noted that critics accuse the organizing group, Muslims of France (MF), of being close to the international Muslim Brotherhood. The Jerusalem Post additionally quoted a characterization of the Brotherhood as "anti-republican, separatist and fundamentally incompatible with the principles of the Republic," though this specific language did not appear in other reports.
• Upcoming legislation: France 24 and RFI reported that the French interior ministry is preparing a draft law to address "radical Islamist elements infiltrating Muslim groups," with the bill expected to be presented to President Emmanuel Macron's cabinet at the end of April.

Perspectives

Government and security officials view the ban as a necessary precaution. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez requested the measure, and police chief Patrice Faure cited a "particularly tense international and national context," the risk of far-right provocation, and the threat of "foreign influences" conducting remote actions.

Event organizers and their supporters argue the ban is disproportionate and politically motivated, infringing on the right to assembly. They have pursued legal action to overturn it.

Some Muslim leaders, including Imam Hassen Chalghoumi, support the ban, seeing it as a way to protect the community from security threats and to distance French Muslims from groups like the Muslim Brotherhood.

Critics of the organizing group point to its alleged ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, arguing that such events may promote ideas incompatible with French republican values, a concern that underpins the government's new legislative approach.

This article is based on reporting from multiple sources as of April 3, 2026. The outcome of the legal appeal and further details on the security assessments were not available at the time of writing.