More than 180,000 people marched across France against rising anti-Semitism amid the Israel-Hamas war. Right-wing leader Marine Le Pen also participated in this march which was carried out under tight security. French President Emmanuel Macron did not participate in this march but expressed his support for the protests. At least 182,000 people marched, according to the Interior Ministry.
Israel’s counterattack against Hamas in Gaza took place more than a month ago. In the meantime, protests against the rise in anti-Semitism are being held via marches in numerous nations.
The most recent instance comes from Paris, the French capital, where on Sunday, November 12, more than 180,000 people marched peacefully throughout the country to express their opposition to the rise in anti-Semitism. This tightly guarded march included participation from right-wing leader Marine Le Pen. Although he did not take part in the march, French President Emmanuel Macron stated that he was in favor of the demonstrations.
182,000 people marched in many cities of France
At least 182,000 people marched in multiple French cities, according to the Interior Ministry, in response to a call made by the leaders of the upper and lower houses of parliament. There are no known significant incidents that occurred during this time. Approximately 3,000 police officers have been deployed for this march, according to news agency AP. We would like to inform you that there has been an alarming rise in anti-Semitic incidents in France following Israel’s retaliatory action against Hamas.
We are all together
In addition, family members of some of the forty or so French citizens who are missing or being held captive participated in Hamas’s first attack this March. The Council of Representatives of Jewish Institutions in France, or CRIF, is led by Jonathan Arfi, who expressed his encouragement at the support shown on Sunday.
Actor Tomer Sisley, a Frenchman who is also Israeli, emphasized that the massive demonstration of solidarity shows that most French people oppose violence and hatred towards any group of people, regardless of their religion or ethnicity. “We do not identify as Jews, Muslims, or Christians,” Sisley declared. “We are French, and our purpose in being here is to demonstrate our unity.”
More than 1,000 cases registered against Jews
Since the Middle East crisis started, French authorities have brought more than 1,000 cases against Jews nationwide in just one month. Almost three times as many anti-Semitic incidents as there were in all of 2022 were confirmed by authorities as of this past Saturday, 1,247 as of October 7, according to the Interior Ministry.
It is notable that there were so many protest marches against the desecration of a Jewish cemetery in Paris in 1990. The march that was held on Sunday has since grown to be the biggest gathering. Although pro-Palestinian protests have been outlawed in France, thousands of demonstrators have marched through several French cities in recent weeks, calling for an end to hostilities in Gaza. One such demonstration took place in Paris on Sunday.
