Pro-Palestinian demonstrations forbidden in Paris

OPINION

The Paris Police Department has forbidden the 19^th July demonstration to support Gaza, planned to run from Barbes to Opera Square. An emergency hearing requested by the organizers' lawyer,Hosni Maati, concluded to the withholding of the injunction.

Pro-Palestinians rally at Republique on Sat 13th to protest Israeli attacks on Gaza

The right to demonstrate is a right dear to all French citizens. Written in the Constitution, it is the layman's best tool to express political opinions. But when pro-Palestinians converged to the Rue de la Roquette Synagogue last week end and tried to lynch it, the Ministry of Internal Affairs saw the rising danger. Bernard Cazeneuve, Minister of Internal Affairs, has deplored the event and asked that all mayors in France decide on the right to demonstrate on a case-by-case basis. 

Rising tension between pro-Palestinians and pro-Israelis in France

The French population, divided between pro-Palestinians and pro-Israelis, reacts violently to the death toll rising in Gaza and the horrible events that started it all. Last Saturday, the 13^th, 7,000 pro-Palestinians (according to the police) rallied at Bastille, screaming “it is a crime to humanity, children of Gaza, children of Palestine”, before some of them attacked the Rue de la Roquette synagogue.

Ethnically diverse, with 8.5% of the population of Arabic descent (mostly Algeria, and Morocco, Tunisia), France is also politically involved, as have proven the demonstrations about the newly elected president of Egypt Morsi, last August. The recent pro-Palestinian movements in France have also proven to be youth-driven, with many 2^nd-generation families of Arabic descent starting their own call on violence. Facebook has become an active platform for people to plead their opinions dividing friends and acquaintances.

On the opposite, pro-Israeli movements are more widespread. With a long pro-Israeli political culture in France and strong cultural ties to the Jewish diaspora, the rank and file of the French population is very sensitive to expressions of Anti-Semitism. In fact, a phenomenon of victimization in France is quick to erupt in such international conflicts, leaving many ready to compare the pro-Palestinian violence demonstrated in Paris to Hitler troops destroying Jewish stores on the horrific night of crystal, 1938.

Political reactions

Six congressmen have reacted to the injunction, saying that forbidding a fundamental right like that would create an even bigger aftermath, than letting it be. the injunction based on “keeping public order” seems an easy gateway to unconstitutional political ways to get rid of an rising issue in France, in my opinion. More shocking are the comments of President Hollande who last Sunday,  explained : “There can be no importation of the conflict in France. There can be no face to face demonstrations and risks to the public order”. Some good wishful thinking which probably won't stop the rising tensions.

Almost historically a tradition, demonstrations in Paris are quite frequent and always controversial : women showed up topless in front of the Notre Dame church in February 2013 to protest homophobia. The pro and anti "marriage for all" movements took place almost every week for months earlier this year. Demonstrations are, by nature, prone to "disturb the peace". In fact the term is usually used by policemen to detain drunks or young people partying too much on the street. 

As the pro-Palestinian demonstration organizers' lawyer predicts that most people will disregard the injunction, police are starting to gather at Barbes to enforce it. 

Credits : Alice Kantor / Sources : Insee, Le Monde and Libération