France

Paris, June 5. Convened six weeks ago, the Paris demonstration of the Independent & Democratic Workers’ Party was banned on the very day it was to be held, 5 June, by decision of Prefect Lallement acting on behalf of the government, a decision confirmed by the administrative court. This is the right to demonstrate that is at threat. In his document, the Prefect points out that he authorised other demonstrations on the same day in Paris, including « an anti-fascist demonstration » and « demonstrations […] linked to the ‘yellow vest’ movement ». Why this difference in treatment? Regarding the POID demonstration, the prefect mentions « a strong risk that individuals […] could infiltrate this demonstration in order to create a climate of insurrection ». Is the POID involved in this risk? No. Is there a single example of a previous demonstration by our party that gave rise to such incidents? No. So why this special treatment? By quoting (and [...]

Comrades,  On this May 1st, 2021, we salute comrades around the world who commemorate the sacrifice of the Haymarket workers in Chicago on May 1st, 1886.  We salute you, comrades from India and South Africa, from Brazil and Germany, from Turkey, Algeria, China and all over the world. We salute you, our brothers and sisters who have been hit for fifteen months not only by the Covid-19 virus but also (and above all) by governments whose profit driven policies are turning the health crisis into a devastation that is sacrificing millions of lives.  We salute you, our comrades, who in recent months, in the face of the pandemic and in spite of it, have taken to the streets by the millions from Bombay to Algiers, from Beirut to Minneapolis.  We salute you who have been fighting tirelessly for social justice.  On this 1st of May, the international day of working class struggle, we strongly affirm that workers all over the world form one single class, women and men, [...]