Paris anti-war demo - August 12

Posted in Pete's blog on ,

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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