Politicians from various political options – from the center to the extreme right, former presidents, celebrities and artists took part in a march against anti-Semitism in Paris on Sunday. According to the Ministry of Interior, 105,000 people took part in the demonstration, over 182,000 throughout the country.
On Sunday afternoon, a march against anti-Semitism took place in Paris with the participation of Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne, ministers, presidents of the Senate and the National Assembly, politicians, actors and celebrities. It was secured by about 3,000 policemen and gendarmes.
Members of the government, former presidents – marched arm in arm – François Hollande and Nicolas Sarkozy, politicians of the center, right and far right, including former presidential candidates – Eric Zemmour and Marine Le Penenvironmentalists and the Communist Party France. Francois Hollande described the march as a “deeply republican demonstration.”
President Emmanuel Macronwho was not present at the march, on Saturday called on the French in an open letter published in the daily “Le Parisien” not to give in to anti-Semitism and to remain united.
March against anti-Semitism in ParisPAP/EPA/MOHAMMED BADRA
However, the far-left France Untamed was missing, whose representatives refused to march alongside Le Pen and members of the National Rally. They called the march a “mistake.”
Marine Le Pen, in the face of massive criticism, defended her participation in the march and deplored the “political manipulation”, recalling that her father Jean-Marie, the founder of the National Front, who described the Holocaust as a “detail of history”, was excluded from her party many years ago.
Many artists and celebrities also took part in the march. Among them, comedians – Kev Adams and Elie Semoun, actors – Gilles Lellouche, Elsa Zylberstein, Yvan Attal and Charlotte Gainsbourg, director Elie Chouraqui. Also present was the French director of Iranian origin and comic book author Marjane Satrapi, as well as Riad Sattouf, Joann Sfar, Anne Sinclair and David Douillet. The media reported on the arrival of the American actress of Jewish origin, Natalie Portman.
Authorities: over 182,000 demonstrators throughout the country, 105,000 in Paris
The French interior ministry said more than 182,000 people demonstrated across France on Sunday. people, including 105 thousand in Paris. Marches against anti-Semitism took place throughout the country, including: in Lyon, Grenoble, Lille, Marseille, Nice and – the largest manifestation – in Paris.
This is the strongest mobilization against anti-Semitism since the protest march against the desecration of the Jewish cemetery in Carpentras in 1990 – emphasize the French media.
The Representative Council of Jewish Institutions of France wants to “know what will be done tomorrow” in the country against anti-Semitism, which – according to the organization – “threatens not only Jews, but all of France.”
March against anti-Semitism in ParisEPA
Main photo source: PAP/EPA/MOHAMMED BADRA