Demonstrators tried to derail a Paris fund-raiser for the Israeli Border Police.
A large contingent of French police manned barricades outside a central Paris music hall to keep away at least 200 demonstrators from Sunday night’s event for the Magav following violent incidents in the afternoon. Some 1,000 guests attended the fund-raiser.
Prior to the show, about 40 mostly Arab and black African youngsters – some with sticks, according to witnesses – chained themselves in front of the Bataclan Hall and began chanting anti-Israeli slogans.
Serge Bittan, head of the Migdal Association, which organized the fund-raiser, said riot police took the protesters away in large paddy waggons. He said tires had been burned in front of the hall Friday night.
“We do this show every year and demonstrators won’t stop us,” he said. “We are wide open about supporting the Israeli Border Police and the army .”
Bittan said the police were working closely with the community”s security detail.
Migdal raised about $294,000 last year for the border police. Funding this year is earmarked to build a rest house in northern Israel.
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