2023-10-22 20:38:22
Place de la République, in Paris, October 22, 2023. BENJAMIN GIRETTE FOR “LE MONDE”
Thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered peacefully on Sunday, October 22, at Place de la République in Paris, to demand an end to Israel’s military operations in Gaza, at the call of a collective.
Surrounded by extensive security, the gathering was the first Parisian demonstration not to have initially been the subject of a ban by the Paris Police Prefecture. Thursday evening, the gathering, which brought together several thousand people in the same square, was banned by the authorities before the administrative justice system lifted this ban.
“We managed to convince the judges that we defend human rights. The fight will continue legally until the end”lawyer Dominique Cochin told the crowd on Sunday. “We have opened the door in Paris and in other departments, banning orders are issued and people can demonstrate”she added.
Place de la République, in Paris, October 22, 2023. BENJAMIN GIRETTE FOR “LE MONDE”
In Marseille, a thousand people mobilized on Sunday afternoon for a “peace gathering” at the call in particular of the General Confederation of Labor (CGT) of Bouches-du-Rhône, Attac, Marseille Gaza Palestine or the Movement for Peace.
Rallies in support of the Palestinians and residents of the Gaza Strip also took place on Saturday in several cities in France. In Lyon, more than a thousand people took part in a demonstration authorized at the last moment.
Read also: The questions raised by the ban on pro-Palestinian demonstrations in France
Ten arrests
According to La France insoumise MP Aurélie Trouvé, the organizers counted 30,000 participants on Sunday in Paris. The police headquarters count shows 15,000 demonstrators. The police made ten arrests, in particular for anti-Semitic remarks and tags on the statue of the Republic, said the prefecture.
At the initiative of the gathering, the collective called “For a just and lasting peace between Palestinians and Israelis” displayed a banner at the foot of the statue of the Republic, calling on France to “request an immediate ceasefire” and claiming “stop the massacre in Gaza”.
Jean-Luc Mélenchon, during the rally in support of the population of Gaza, in Paris, October 22, 2023. BENJAMIN GIRETTE FOR “LE MONDE”
The CGT, the Unitary Trade Union Federation, La France insoumise, the Solidaires trade union, the France Palestine Solidarity Association (AFPS), the Movement against racism and for friendship between peoples, the collective of Muslims of France or even the French Jewish Union for Peace are one of the forty member organizations of the collective.
“Macron gives Israel a license to kill”, denounced the president of the AFPS, Bertrand Heilbronn. Regarding the Hamas attacks of October 7, “the emotion is legitimate”more “its exploitation is criminal by serving to justify a war of elimination that the State of Israel is waging against the Palestinian people”he added.
Online courses, evening classes, workshops: develop your skills
Discover
During the rally, new calls for demonstrations on Tuesday and Saturday were launched for Paris.
Read also: The Council of State opposes the systematic ban on pro-Palestinian demonstrations
#Paris #proPalestinian #crowd #gathers #peace