As one might expect, the messages “Yaël, accomplice”; “Yaël, get out of there”; “Murderer Israel” graffitied on the walls of the Tobacco factory were only the beginnings. Around 3 p.m., this Friday, November 8, dozens of students gathered in front of the Lyon 3 faculty to denounce the visit of the President of the National Assembly Yaël Braun-Pivet, accused of supporting the policy pursued by Israel in the Middle East by several left-wing movements. They first demonstrated in the street, before managing to force their way into the faculty, where they chanted for a long time “Accomplice to genocide, get out of our faculties” while brandishing Palestinian flags.
According to the Uni student union, several damages were then committed. Their premises were allegedly broken into and ransacked. Water and electricity were reportedly cut off. And several classes were interrupted before the police managed to evacuate the demonstrators.
“I was ready to talk with them”
When Yaël Braun-Pivet arrived around 5:30 p.m., there were only a handful of protesters left. Kept apart by a major security system, they did not disrupt the MP's arrival at the perch since 2022. Nor her participation in a conference with students from the Poli'Gones association.
But the latter showed herself distressed by the events of the day: “It is particularly damaging that some prefer invective and obstruction rather than dialogue. I was ready to talk with them if they wanted. Since I've been in politics, I've tried to have nuanced positions, to get into the complexity of things, but I've noticed that it's increasingly complicated to do so in public debate. But there is no question of giving up. This is why I wanted to maintain my presence in the university. I would have found it very serious in our democracy if I could not do it. »
“His courage brings honor to the Republic”
Yaël Braun-Pivet received, during the evening, the support of several elected officials. Starting with that of his counterpart in the Senate Gérard Larcher: “These images shame me, they shame us: the universities and France. I send all my support to Yaël Braun-Pivet who, with courage, chose not to give up. » Laurent Wauquiez also had a word for his president in the hemicycle: “His courage does honor to the Republic, which must give nothing in the face of this ideology of hatred. » The Minister of the Interior Bruno Retailleau, for his part, denounced “an unbearable fascist drift. »
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Finally, the president of the Lyon 3 faculty Gilles Bonnet “strongly condemned” all the acts committed during the day. He announced that he had taken legal action.
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