Thibaut Hue, edited by Philippe Folgado // Photo credit: ALAIN JOCARD / AFP
As Israel continues its bombing of the Gaza Strip, Egypt is preparing to evacuate some 7,000 foreigners of more than 60 nationalities through the Rafah crossing point. In France, a pro-Palestinian rally is organized on Thursday evening in the capital, on Place de la République.
Several thousand people responded to the call for this demonstration, many waving Palestinian flags or signs reading “Israel murderer, freedom for Gaza”. This pro-Palestinian gathering was authorized by the Paris police headquarters, which judged that security would be guaranteed. A logical decision for the demonstrators, even if the previous bans still have a bitter taste.
“We will be there, and we will always be there”
“We are rejoicing at individual freedom. I find that a little unfortunate on a democratic level. It’s really a serious attack on the freedoms to demonstrate,” said one demonstrator, who had “the misfortune or the “honor” of being fined four times during the demonstrations. “Despite the various fines, we will be there and we will always be there,” he concludes.
What will be particularly scrutinized during this gathering in Paris are the possible presence of slogans or messages of an anti-Semitic nature. Ariane, with a banner in her hand, does not fear him: “obviously if there was anything anti-Semitic or otherwise, we have the capacity to dissociate ourselves, to denounce all that. But in my opinion, these These speeches are mainly there to discredit and delegitimize a cause, that of the Palestinian people. According to her, the flags and signs call for “an end to the massacres and genocide” that the Palestinians are experiencing.
This demonstration which serves as a thermometer for the authorities to measure the crowds that there could be this Saturday, during a new gathering organized in particular by La France insoumise, Europe Écologie-Les Verts and the CGT. The Socialist Party, which was until now the only left-wing party not to call for participation in the demonstration, has finally decided to join this mobilization which demands an immediate ceasefire in this conflict.