In a joint rally called for by many local organizations, over 200 people mobilized at the Jean Jaurès metro station in Toulouse, France, to denounce the French interior minister’s threat to dissolve the Collectif Palestine Vaincra and another pro-Palestine association, the Comite Action Palestine. Collectif Palestine Vaincra is a member of the Samidoun network and a leading organization in the Palestine solidarity movement as well as in the campaign to free Georges Abdallah, jailed for over 37 years in France and Europe’s longest-held political prisoner.
Behind the banner, “No to the dissolution of the Collectif Palestine Vaincra,” the hundreds of demonstrators denounced the authoritarian attacks of the French government against the Palestine solidarity movement, which has now escalated to threats of dissolution and criminalization for organizing for justice in Palestine. In their speech at the rally, the Collectif Palestine Vaincra highlighted the political motivations for the announcement of the French government that it intends to suppress the “thought crimes” of the Collectif.
Representatives of the Campagne BDS France Toulouse and the Association France Palestine Solidarité spoke, denouncing this policy of criminalizing solidarity with Palestine, as well as the recent statements of French prime minister Jean Castex — made the same day as Interior Minister Darmanin’s announcement that he planned to dissolve the Collectif — that Jerusalem is the “eternal capital of the Jewish people.” This statement, widely denounced by Palestinian political forces across the spectrum, indicates alignment with U.S. and Israeli policies on settler colonialism and the ongoing forced displacement and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from Jerusalem.
A representative of the Fédération syndicale unitaire, the main labor union in the education sector in France, delivered a joint statement on behalf of three trade unions, UD CGT 31, Solidaires 31 and FSU 31, denouncing the attack on the Collectif Palestine Vaincra. Representatives of the Parti de Gauche, France Insoumise, the NPA, Révolution Permanente and the Mouvement de la Paix also spoke to affirm their clear and unreserved support for the Collectif, as did Odile Maurin, city councillor for the opposition parties in Toulouse. Many people and organizations came together to express their solidarity with the Collectif and its commitment to anti-colonial and anti-imperialist struggle.
It is critical to continue the mobilization to fight back against this repressive measure which aims to silence the supporters of justice in Palestine. Over 7,000 people have already signed the online petition in support of the Collectif. Please share and circulate it widely:
https://change.org/solidaritecollectifpalestinevaincra
