DThousands of people gathered Monday evening in several cities in France to express their opposition to the far right which, they denounce, finds itself “at the gates of power”, after its surge in the polls the day before and the announcement of an upcoming dissolution of the National Assembly.
In Paris, “It’s going to be tough there”!
Around 9 p.m., Place de la République in Paris was packed with people. The demonstrators, including many young people, raised middle fingers, shouted: “Youth piss off the National Front” (ancestor party of the National Rally, RN) or even “Everyone hates Marine Le Pen”.
Alice, 24, a student, wanted to be there because, she said, “now the extreme right (is) at the gates of power”. “The prospect of having a far-right Prime Minister in three weeks terrifies me. »
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Alba Bourreau, 19, an arts student, takes part in her “first political demonstration”, after voting for the first time on Sunday. She “hopes that the “popular front” on the left will be enough. In the meantime, I am ready to come and demonstrate as much as necessary.”
In the surrounding crowd, Palestinian flags mingle with those of the CGT, Unef and other organizations that have called for the rally. Some demonstrators brandish signs saying “It’s going to be bad there”, in reference to the president of the RN Jordan Bardella.
Marseille, Nantes, Rennes and Rouen
In Marseille, the second city in France, which placed the RN list at the top during the European elections on Sunday, 2,200 people according to the police, including many young people, gathered at the call of several unions and left-wing parties. or the Human Rights League before the regional prefecture.
“The extreme right in power will not let go, let’s fight them now!” » or “Popular Front: all united”, proclaimed hastily made signs.
Several thousand people also gathered in Rennes (more than 2,500), Nantes (at least 1,000) and Rouen (800).
In the Breton capital, Maël, a 19-year-old student, “does not want to live in a France governed by the RN”, remembering that it would “not be the first time in history that fascism will come to power through the ballot boxes.” “Macron opened the door to them with his policy and the dissolution but it is not too late to slam it in their face! “, he added.
“Roots and hatreds”
Some 1,500 people, according to the prefecture, also gathered at Place de la Victoire in Bordeaux, to the rhythm of drums and the melody of “Bella ciao”. “FN, RN of roots and hatred”, “No to the Hate era”, or even “Make racists afraid again”, we could read on the signs.
“I really don’t understand this decision to dissolve. In three weeks, there cannot be a solid alliance against the RN,” fears Muriel Jules, an 82-year-old retiree.
The atmosphere galvanizes Julia T., 30 years old: “When I was little, I watched from afar through the TV the mobilization following the passage of (Jean-Marie) Le Pen in the second round. Today it’s my turn to take to the streets to shout my refusal of a France turned in on itself,” said the 30-year-old young woman.
“No fascists in the Assembly!” »
In Montpellier and Besançon, a thousand people also demonstrated, as well as in Toulouse where they shouted: “No fascists in the neighborhoods, no fascists in the Assembly!” “.
Among the Toulouse crowd, Matthieu Chêne, a young man of 30, for whom it was “essential to come (…) to be on the right side of History”. “I hope there will be a Popular Front. Roussel, Glucksmann, Mélenchon, everyone must put their ego aside! »
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