Paris anti-war demo - August 12
Took a few days break in Paris, amongst other things, to go on the demo in Paris on August 12 against the Israeli attack on Lebanon. Images and short video of LCR and LO contingent below.
I give a superficial impression below(as my French is not good so conversations were very limited) but it seems as though the demo which was about 5-10,000 was in three blocs.
A contingent near the front in which there was rhetoric of the like we see so much in the UK, i.e. lots of talk and placards about abstract solidarity with the Resistance, a few (very few) Hezbollah flags, leaflets about the need to eliminate Israel and even Maoists (they still have them).
A second contingent ... of labour movement activists, in which CGT, LO and LCR were visible.
Considering the size of these organisations both the LO and LCR contingents were quite small. There was no national banner for the LCR. It is in the middle of the quietest time in Paris, however. But their presence generally seemed low key. Whilst every minute group seemed to have its own leaflet and slogans, neither of these major Trotskyist groups seemed to have anything to distinguish them. 'Bush, Olmert, Peretz - assasins' was the only slogan from them (listen to video)
Paris CGT banner - 'Respect the right of all people to live in a' (or is it one?) sovereign state.' Is this an evasion or my bad French?
A third contingent (last 2 pictures)... of Lebanese and Palestinians. Very vocal, passionate but politically diffuse.
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http://moonbatmedia.com/boycott_israel_paris_120806/
Here's some more photos of the demo.
http://moonbatmedia.com/boycott_israel_paris_120806/
That was how the first contingent looked
The photographs Rick links to are interesting. They show the 'first contingent' I mention in my report but they give an unrepresentative view of the march. How unrepresentative can be gauged by the abundance of shots of Maoist flags, a very small portion of the march indeed, numbering less than 20.
The demonstration was not called for 'boycotting Israel' despite the web address of the photos nor did it call for the destruction of Israel although that was no doubt the demands of the Maoists and their friends who are shown. But the pictures show how the demonstration is being presented by some on the French left and, on an admittedly superficial glance on Saturday, the substantial French labour movement left (CGT, LO, LCR etc.) didn't seem to be challenging those views particularly vociferously.