French Protesters Take Stand Against Hate, Far-Right National Front

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Common Dreams

Published on Friday, May 30, 2014 by Common Dreams

French Protesters Take Stand Against Hate, Far-Right National Front

Actions in several cities follow landmark electoral win by anti-immigrant party

- Andrea Germanos, staff writer


Thousands of protesters poured into the streets of France on Thursday against the far-right National Front party.

The demonstrations followed Sunday's landmark electoral win by the party, which the country's Socialist Prime Minister Manuel Valls described as being "more than another warning; it's a shock, an earthquake."

In addition to a protest of about 4,000 people in Paris, smaller protests took place in other cities as well, including Marseille, Nancy, Nantes, Toulouse and Lyon.

One protester said that the protest was necessary "to show that there is an alternative to the National Front," and that there are still those who have hope for a different from path from austerity and hate.

"We respect the result of the European elections, of democracy, but we do not accept the values of the National Front," Silvio Philippe, one of the organizers of the Lyon rally, told Agence France-Presse. "French democracy is in danger," he said.


Read more: https://www.commondreams.org/headline/2014/05/30-6

[shenmue]

1. Glad to see

there is still some hope- not everyone has gone nuts.

[7962]

2. I'd like to see them protest in the Muslim controlled areas of Paris.

Wonder how that would go over?

[Judi Lynn]

3. Are you saying the Muslim citizens are far-right assholes? n/t

[7962]

6. How far right are those who do what they do?

We've got a woman getting sentenced to death by stoning this week in Sudan for the crime of being non-muslim, we've got a pregnant woman in Pakistan stoned to death this week by her own family, we've got female circumcision forced on teenagers, etc etc. Parts of Paris that the French police wont even go into. Examples by the hundreds. Thousands. Everywhere. What about those poor girls in Nigeria?
If the GOP is waging a war on women here, how much further to the right are muslims? Are we afraid to call it out?
Certainly the right wing is not near a majority in France, but the vote shows people who arent right wingers are tiring of seeing whats going on.

[bitchkitty]

7. Because of course all Muslims are the same.

They do not vary ONE BIT; they are all terrorists and fundamentalist assholes.

</sarcasm>

Intolerance and bigotry make me feel ill.

[7962]

9. Oh, I'm sure not ALL are the same, but they darn well better not say it out loud

We never see leaders of Muslim countries condemn the treatment of women in their countries. Women are regarded as less than second class. And you think I"M the intolerant bigot? And when did I call them all terrorists?
I'm more than happy to see muslims speak out against such treatment. When they do, its usually in a western country where they feel a bit safer. We've seen muslim women speak out here in the US. Even that little 12 yr old girl has been condemned from afar.
Show me the progress. Show me a progressive Muslim country.
Or you can go ahead and keep whistling past the graveyard and calling ME the bigot.

[bitchkitty]

10. And of course bigotry will change that.

I do not agree with the way women are treated in Muslim countries, but I'm not going to condemn an entire religion because the leaders are afraid to speak out.

[Judi Lynn]

8. What earthly connection would Muslim people in Paris have to this article? n/t

[uhnope]

4. whaat?

"Muslim controlled"?
& why wouldn't Muslims in Paris welcome protests against the far right?
wtfayta

[RainDog]

5. The Far Right in France hates immigrants

I would imagine these protestors included many people who are targeted by right wing policy and cant.