LFI deputy Thomas Portes attacks an RN colleague in the Assembly

Tempers heated up considerably on Wednesday in the National Assembly. It all started with a speech by La France insoumise MP Nathalie Oziol on the conflict in the Middle East. The elected official from Hérault wanted to question her colleagues on the ban on the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Middle East (UNRWA) voted by the Knesset, the Israeli Parliament.

It was then that fever took hold of the chamber. “France cannot tolerate international law being trampled on in this way! I am not sure that we defend a civilization by sowing barbarism ourselves,” said Nathalie Oziol, triggering strong reactions on the right. National Rally deputy Julien Odoul then attacks his rebellious counterparts whom he accuses of being “hand in hand with Hamas”. Laurent Jacobelli and Philippe Lottiaux support: “They are your friends, the terrorists!”, says the second.

“The true face of the far left”

In response, LFI deputy Thomas Portes came out of his chair and brandished a threat. “Shut your mouth! We will take care of you,” he shouts towards the elected RN. “We're going to explain ourselves outside, you'll see. We're going to go outside; we're going to take care of you,” he continues following invectives launched from both sides. Meanwhile, Nathalie Oziol continues her plea. “What is happening in the Middle East is colonization, genocide and the generalization of the conflict in Lebanon! […] We are talking about more than 43,000 dead and more than 100,000 injured in Gaza,” she declares. “These are the statistics of your Hamas friends!”, replies Philippe Lottiaux, before receiving another “Shut up! ” from Thomas Portes.

Invited this Friday morning on Europe 1 and CNews, Sébastien Chenu, deputy for the North and vice-president of the RN, pointed out “the true face of the extreme left” and fears a lack of sanctions due to the composition of the office of the National Assembly, mainly on the left. “They know they have power, so they carry out a certain form of violence, of impunity,” he continues.

Call to boycott the France-Israel match

For his part, Thomas Portes is not his first attempt. Last year, while the debate around pension reform raged, he appeared with his foot on a balloon bearing the image of the Minister of Labor, Olivier Dussopt. Last summer, he was also among those who opposed the presence of Israeli athletes at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. This Thursday, the elected LFI called for a boycott of the France-Israel football match which is to be held on Thursday, November 14, as part of the League of Nations.