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Hundreds of thousands against authoritarian policies: let’s continue to win

Saturday 28 November 2020, by Antoine Larrache

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Twelve thousand in Pau, two thousand in Chambéry, six thousand in Rennes, Tours and Montpellier, five thousand yesterday in Nantes, thousands in Toulouse in spontaneous demonstrations, more than ten thousand in Lyon, around perhaps two hundres thousand in Paris: today’s mobilization was incredible, like a huge awakening after months of political confinement.

There were many young people in the demonstrations, high school students, students, young people from the popular neighbourhoods, protesting against police violence, racism, and more generally the situation we are currently living through. There were also many militants coming from various organizations, from the left in general, although apart from the CGT, the FSU and Solidaires, there were very few organizations officially represented, apart of course from the NPA, which was very present everywhere. The NPA contingent in Paris brought together hundreds of people, dynamic, shouting, singing. There were also hundreds of journalists and lawyers, whose convictions were struck by the bill.

The government is facing a political crisis triggered by the outburst of contradictions: it has championed “freedom of expression” following the assassination of Samuel Paty, but on the other hand has given the police complete freedom to repress, violate, mutilate. The "global security" law completes this policy, in coherence with state racism and the law of "separatism".

But the violence against Michel Zecler in particular, that was fortunately filmed, has brought to light the role of the "global security" law: to strengthen police impunity.

Building this movement to win

Today’s mobilisation was fantastic, it shows that reactions are possible against this government. In the next few days, in all neighbourhoods, let’s organize ourselves to push it back. Unitary meetings, neighbourhood assemblies, in workplaces or educational establishments, local demonstrations in front of police stations, prefectures or town halls, we must speed up buinding a mass movement.

Stopping the passage of this law must be our goal. And denouncing the strenghtening of liberticidal and racist policies that open the way to the extreme right. Filming police violence is the way to protect ourselves against police violence, it is a basic element of our self-defence. We must also demand the disarmament of the police and an end to all racist measures, and win the regularis-zation of undocumented migrants.

Getting rid of this government

This government’s only answer to the health, social and ecological crisis we are experiencing today is repression. They have shown they are incapable of dealing with it in any other way than distributing billions to big business. They must go, starting with Darmanin, the Minister of the Interior, the real spearhead, following in Castaner’s footsteps, of liberticidal policies.

The time has come for a general mobilization against this government.

P.S.

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