More than 10 000 red scarves marched in the streets of Paris this Sunday, to oppose the “systematic” violence that enamels the mobilisations of yellow vests.
Some 10,500 red scarves, according to the Paris police headquarters , marched Sunday, in the rain, from the Place de la Nation to the Bastille to “defend democracy and institutions” in the face of the violence that spawned the Vests crisis. yellow .
The figure is ultimately consistent with the hope of having 10,000 “minimum” participants posted by the organisers of this “Republican March of Freedoms”.
“No to the revolution”
While the head of the procession chanted “Yes to democracy, no to the revolution! Under a “Stop the Violence” banner, the protesters, with a high proportion of gray temples and supporters of La République en marche (LREM), wore a few French flags and a handful of European flags.
They responded to a “call to the silent majority that has been hiding at home for ten weeks,” in the words of the initiator of the march, the Toulouse engineer Laurent Soulie. It is from his Facebook page that he launched the idea of this march in mid-December, before being joined by the collective of “red scarves”, born at the end of November to protest against the blockages of “yellow vests” .
This group was able to join the parade provided that it was not a demonstration of support to the president Macron but, more broadly, to the Republic.
“Extremes at length of interview”
The cry of “Fascism will not pass” was often heard in the demonstration.
“I do not want to see my country fall into dictatorship,” said Christine, 63, a retired banking executive from Villeparisis (Seine-et-Marne).
According to her, “all the extremes are talking about length of interview, and we see the rise of extremists everywhere in Europe, with heads of state like Trump who want to see Europe liquefy”.
“I understand that there are problems of end of the month, but when we want to evolve we must do what we must do to succeed,” she continued. “You can not wait nicely in your chair for helpers who are going to fall.”
Many of the “red scarves” planning to participate in the protest say they have shared some claims of “yellow vests”, but reject violence “against institutions”.
Marie-Line, 62, came from Saint-Maur-des-Fossés (Val-de-Marne). This nurse executive in a public hospital, who was “not against the original idea (of” yellow vests “) to moan a little,” came to say stop verbal or physical abuse. ”
“It’s not a protest against the Yellow Vests, it’s a manifestation to (their) say: you have claims, we hear them but there is another place that the street to discuss, we will not block the country and the economy because we consider that the president is illegitimate, “said AFP Senator François Patriat (LREM), who was on site.
LREM set back
If Laurent Soulié is a sympathizer of the Republic in progress (LREM), the party and the majority are still away from this initiative, despite the presence of fifteen MPs – including Olivia Grégoire and Jean-Michel Fauvergue- and six senators at the demonstration.
“This march and this approach have all my sympathy, and yet I will not participate,” because “it would immediately be said that it is a recovery,” said Richard Ferrand, President of the National Assembly, at the microphone of the Grand Jury RTL-Le Figaro-LCI.
On arrival at Place de la Bastille, the participants wiped the jeers and invectives of a few dozen “yellow vests” posted on the steps of the opera, under two banners: “Macron Destitution”, and “Everything is already burning”.
