In a powerful display of unity, over 180,000 individuals flooded the streets of France on Sunday, with Paris witnessing a whopping 100,000-strong march, all rallying against the ominous surge of antisemitism. The backdrop to this impassioned gathering? Israel’s ongoing clash with Hamas in Gaza.
Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne, flanked by representatives from various political spectrums, stood shoulder to shoulder with conservatives, centrists, and even the far-right leader Marine Le Pen in Paris. President Macron, absent physically but present in spirit, threw his weight behind the cause, urging citizens to stand against the “unbearable resurgence of unbridled antisemitism.”
Yet, amidst this harmonious call for solidarity, a discordant note sounded. Jean-Luc Melenchon, leader of the far-left France Unbowed party, chose to stay on the sidelines. His rationale? He labeled the march a gathering of “friends of unconditional support for the massacre” in Gaza, broadcasting his dissent on the digital platform X (formerly Twitter).
As the march unfolded across French cities, orchestrated by the leaders of the parliament’s upper and lower houses, the interior ministry reported a staggering 182,000 participants. Notably, the entire spectacle unfolded without a whisper of major incidents, a testament to the collective determination to voice opposition against the rising tide of antisemitism.
