Israeli-French match under heavy pressure: Solidarity with Palestine reaffirmed in Paris and the voice of the people snubbed by its political leaders

Nearly 3,000 pro-Palestinian demonstrators mobilized on November 13 in Paris in response to a gala evening of the association “Israel is forever.” Several left-wing parties had called for demonstrations, including La France Insoumise (LFI)THE Ecologists (LE) or even the New Anticapitalist Party (NPA).
The demonstrators marched through the streets from the Saint-Lazare station, taking up slogans hostile to Israeli Minister Bezalel Smotrich who was initially invited to the event but who had canceled his appearance: « Smotrich assassin, Macron complice » but also slogans in favor of Palestine and against Tel Aviv: “Liberate Palestine” et “Israel get out of there, Palestine is not yours.”

Arriving at Place de l’Etoile, clashes occurred between part of the procession and the police forces, who used tear gas grenades to repel virulent individuals. According to journalist Cédric Canton, present on site, these clashes pitted anti-fascist activists against CRS.
On the sidelines of the event, fast food brands McDonald’s et Starbucks were also degraded by demonstrators according to images broadcast by journalist Luc Auffret.

These signs were covered in graffiti with inscriptions such as « boycott » or ” accomplice “, the targeted companies being accused by pro-Palestinian activists of supporting the State of Israel. Chris Kempczinski, CEO of McDonald’s, had in fact indicated at the start of the year that his company was suffering “a significant commercial impact” due to the conflict in the Middle East.
Elected officials were present on site, notably members of the movement “The After”, dissidents of Insubordinate, Raquel Garrido, Clémentine Autain but also Alexis Corbière who spoke for several minutes with the police contesting the verbalization of the demonstrators.

These incidents in the heart of Paris took place the day before a football match between the France team and Israel as part of the Nations League. There France Insoumise had demanded the cancellation of the match, Emmanuel Macron and his two predecessors at the Elysée, François Hollande and Nicolas Sarkozy, announced that they would go to the Stade de France to attend the match. The squint of the French establishment is all the more glaring in light of the stubborn position of its pro-Israeli representatives.