1 00:00:22,719 --> 00:00:28,939 Between a swing to the right and a revolt 2 00:00:32,159 --> 00:00:36,119 In 2015 we released the documentary 'Une vie de lutte' 3 00:00:36,119 --> 00:00:39,199 about the activist Clément Méric 4 00:00:39,200 --> 00:00:41,740 about the rise of right-wing forces in France 5 00:00:41,740 --> 00:00:44,079 and antifascist struggles in Paris. 6 00:00:44,820 --> 00:00:48,219 In June 2016 we traveled to Paris again to meet 7 00:00:48,219 --> 00:00:51,539 some comrades and to join the commemoration 8 00:00:51,539 --> 00:00:54,640 activities around Clément's third day of death. 9 00:00:54,640 --> 00:00:57,039 We wanted to know something about news 10 00:00:57,039 --> 00:00:59,899 concerning the trial against the two main suspects 11 00:00:59,899 --> 00:01:03,920 and how people commemorated Clément this weekend. 12 00:01:06,239 --> 00:01:10,119 There are some news concerning 13 00:01:10,120 --> 00:01:13,040 the murder of Clément. 14 00:01:13,439 --> 00:01:16,539 They still didn't consider the knuckleduster 15 00:01:16,540 --> 00:01:19,900 as the murder weapon. 16 00:01:19,900 --> 00:01:24,240 The suspects are still not accused of murder. 17 00:01:27,079 --> 00:01:30,679 During the last months the trial was held in camera 18 00:01:30,680 --> 00:01:35,220 and the court still allows 19 00:01:35,219 --> 00:01:38,319 new documents to every charge. 20 00:01:39,180 --> 00:01:43,580 We currently don't have a trial date. 21 00:01:43,579 --> 00:01:48,420 They say it will be in winter 2017, 22 00:01:48,420 --> 00:01:51,900 but there's no guarantee for that. 23 00:01:52,439 --> 00:01:56,019 This year, the commemoration activities for Clément 24 00:01:56,019 --> 00:01:59,560 were similar to the first year. 25 00:01:59,560 --> 00:02:04,900 We organized a festival consisting of two concerts 26 00:02:04,900 --> 00:02:08,219 on Friday and Saturday - one evening with Rap and 27 00:02:08,219 --> 00:02:11,340 the other evening with Punk, Ska, Reaggae, Oi music. 28 00:02:11,340 --> 00:02:14,500 That's for Friday and Saturday. 29 00:02:14,500 --> 00:02:18,759 On Saturday afternoon we also had a demonstration 30 00:02:20,500 --> 00:02:23,560 and there has been a football tournament, organized 31 00:02:23,560 --> 00:02:26,580 by the MFC [Ménilmontant Football Club 1871] 32 00:02:26,580 --> 00:02:31,100 with various teams from France, Paris and Europe. 33 00:02:31,379 --> 00:02:34,620 To me, it's important that those who were murdered 34 00:02:34,620 --> 00:02:37,980 are not just a sad occasion to commemorate, 35 00:02:37,979 --> 00:02:40,179 but that we rather make clear 36 00:02:40,180 --> 00:02:43,040 that they died for a reason in a fight. 37 00:02:43,039 --> 00:02:46,539 When we have a party, people get together, 38 00:02:46,539 --> 00:02:50,439 share a mutual moment, it's a shared moment. 39 00:02:50,699 --> 00:02:53,399 It's a concert - our Rap music is a concert 40 00:02:53,400 --> 00:02:55,800 in commemoration of Clément. 41 00:02:55,800 --> 00:03:00,260 It's a call for commemoration and it's a way 42 00:03:00,259 --> 00:03:03,639 to express the time we spend together 43 00:03:03,639 --> 00:03:06,339 and that we support each other. 44 00:03:06,340 --> 00:03:08,920 Especially because there's not only the murder 45 00:03:08,919 --> 00:03:10,919 of Clément but there's also life 46 00:03:10,919 --> 00:03:12,919 and a social and political context. 47 00:03:13,060 --> 00:03:16,360 Well, the commemoration takes place in a time 48 00:03:16,360 --> 00:03:18,780 of social struggles and so on. 49 00:03:18,780 --> 00:03:21,219 Therefore it's important that people, 50 00:03:21,219 --> 00:03:24,359 who call themselves antifascists - and especially 51 00:03:24,360 --> 00:03:27,240 the surrounding of Clément, come together and 52 00:03:27,240 --> 00:03:30,280 spend time together, commemorate together 53 00:03:30,280 --> 00:03:33,960 in order to move forward, to motivate each other 54 00:03:33,960 --> 00:03:36,860 to continue and to do things together. 55 00:03:37,680 --> 00:03:40,340 This was a performance of 'Choral debout' 56 00:03:40,340 --> 00:03:43,039 and 'Orchestre debout' as an act of remembrance 57 00:03:43,039 --> 00:03:44,840 for Clément in form of a song. 58 00:03:44,960 --> 00:03:47,599 Well, I think this is respectable, because it's a move 59 00:03:47,599 --> 00:03:49,500 from people who were truly touched 60 00:03:49,500 --> 00:03:51,180 by the things that happened. 61 00:03:51,180 --> 00:03:54,540 On the other hand, the address at Place de la République 62 00:03:54,539 --> 00:03:57,400 isn't really related to us, because it doesn't belong 63 00:03:57,400 --> 00:03:59,260 to our political practice. 64 00:03:59,419 --> 00:04:03,939 But we accept those things, because we support 65 00:04:03,939 --> 00:04:07,939 the diversity of approaches and opinions. 66 00:04:08,560 --> 00:04:11,979 What's interesting about the topic of Clément, 67 00:04:11,979 --> 00:04:15,500 compared to the first year of commemoration: 68 00:04:15,500 --> 00:04:19,800 Back then everybody was interested, sad, touched. 69 00:04:20,040 --> 00:04:24,240 And as time goes by - like it often happens with people, 70 00:04:24,240 --> 00:04:28,460 who were murdered - the interest decreases 71 00:04:28,459 --> 00:04:33,919 and is replaced by other events. 72 00:04:34,899 --> 00:04:38,759 This year it was more difficult to assemble 73 00:04:38,759 --> 00:04:41,639 all the different organizations to this event. 74 00:04:41,639 --> 00:04:45,620 Of course they are still there and they're doing their best 75 00:04:45,620 --> 00:04:48,480 to make sure, that this murder does not 76 00:04:48,480 --> 00:04:50,700 fall into oblivion. 77 00:04:50,860 --> 00:04:54,920 There were connections established to other countries 78 00:04:54,920 --> 00:04:59,800 concerning fascist murders. 79 00:04:59,800 --> 00:05:03,860 There's a connection to Italians. 80 00:05:03,860 --> 00:05:09,439 Clément's parents are in contact with Italian mothers 81 00:05:09,439 --> 00:05:17,319 who lost their sons and daughters due to a murder. 82 00:05:19,060 --> 00:05:22,079 For the matter of cooperation: 83 00:05:22,079 --> 00:05:25,120 only few things have been established. 84 00:05:25,120 --> 00:05:30,240 We're focused on the trial and on what happens now 85 00:05:30,240 --> 00:05:34,259 and it's difficult to establish connections besides that. 86 00:05:34,319 --> 00:05:38,099 My name is Jean, I'm part of RAGE, Action Network Geneva, 87 00:05:38,100 --> 00:05:40,920 formerly Antifa Network Geneva. 88 00:05:41,160 --> 00:05:46,220 We came to Paris this weekend for the demonstration. 89 00:05:46,220 --> 00:05:49,580 We were also here three years ago, 90 00:05:49,579 --> 00:05:52,759 when Clément was murdered. 91 00:05:52,759 --> 00:05:55,639 We joined the first demonstration 92 00:05:55,639 --> 00:05:59,879 and we also came here for his first date of death. 93 00:05:59,879 --> 00:06:03,339 It's important to us to be present on such occasions 94 00:06:03,339 --> 00:06:06,739 to show our moral support 95 00:06:06,740 --> 00:06:11,300 and to support the comrades logistically. 96 00:06:11,300 --> 00:06:15,220 That's very important because we noticed that 97 00:06:15,220 --> 00:06:19,580 extreme right-wing structures establish cross-border, 98 00:06:19,579 --> 00:06:21,680 transnational connections. 99 00:06:21,680 --> 00:06:25,720 That's why it is necessary that we extend our networks 100 00:06:25,720 --> 00:06:29,500 to establish solidarity on an international level. 101 00:06:30,399 --> 00:06:34,319 Therefore we also took part in the demonstration 102 00:06:34,319 --> 00:06:37,500 in commemoration of Dax in Milan. 103 00:06:37,500 --> 00:06:41,519 We think that it's extremely important to keep up 104 00:06:41,519 --> 00:06:44,579 the remembrance for our comrades 105 00:06:44,579 --> 00:06:47,800 who were murdered and to continue their fight. 106 00:06:49,480 --> 00:06:53,500 It's important to overcome the isolation 107 00:06:53,500 --> 00:06:57,060 and to establish international contacts. 108 00:06:57,240 --> 00:07:00,079 We will start a campaign about the trial. 109 00:07:00,079 --> 00:07:02,560 We don't have a date yet 110 00:07:02,560 --> 00:07:05,560 but we're already preparing it. 111 00:07:05,560 --> 00:07:08,939 When we get the date, we need to be ready 112 00:07:08,939 --> 00:07:12,620 to tell the public again what happened 113 00:07:12,620 --> 00:07:15,300 and to be present in the internet. 114 00:07:15,339 --> 00:07:18,539 Because extreme right-wingers are very active 115 00:07:18,540 --> 00:07:22,060 in social networks - much more than we are. 116 00:07:22,060 --> 00:07:25,639 We need to re-establish the truth against 117 00:07:25,639 --> 00:07:29,300 all their lies and half-truths. 118 00:07:29,300 --> 00:07:32,879 We have to make clear that it was a political crime, 119 00:07:32,879 --> 00:07:36,259 not a brawl on the street that simply turned out badly. 120 00:07:58,459 --> 00:08:01,879 On 4th of June 2016 a commemoration demonstration 121 00:08:01,879 --> 00:08:04,639 for Clément took place on his third date of death. 122 00:08:04,639 --> 00:08:06,500 People from France 123 00:08:06,500 --> 00:08:09,300 and from many European countries participated. 124 00:08:09,300 --> 00:08:12,819 Due to this event the activists also protested 125 00:08:12,819 --> 00:08:16,699 against the increasing militarization of the public sphere, 126 00:08:16,699 --> 00:08:19,659 the neoliberal labor market reform and 127 00:08:19,660 --> 00:08:24,020 against the growing repression by state and police. 128 00:08:25,360 --> 00:08:28,879 Well, I guess we were approximately 3000 people 129 00:08:28,879 --> 00:08:31,100 on this resolute demonstration. 130 00:08:31,100 --> 00:08:33,639 But we were stopped by the police who divided 131 00:08:33,639 --> 00:08:35,620 the demo in two parts. 132 00:08:35,620 --> 00:08:38,379 Now we're in a police encirclement 133 00:08:38,379 --> 00:08:40,419 for more or less 45 minutes 134 00:08:40,419 --> 00:08:42,299 close to the St. Martin canal. 135 00:08:42,340 --> 00:08:46,180 We actually knew it before, because someone set 136 00:08:46,179 --> 00:08:50,479 a police car on fire right in this street a few weeks ago. 137 00:08:50,480 --> 00:08:53,759 The police stopped us there and therefore we were 138 00:08:53,759 --> 00:08:57,039 worried that they could strike back. 139 00:08:57,100 --> 00:08:59,899 Concerning the demonstration yesterday: 140 00:08:59,899 --> 00:09:04,519 according to people who took part, it was very violent. 141 00:09:04,639 --> 00:09:08,899 The demo was determined to go from a point A 142 00:09:08,899 --> 00:09:12,100 to a point B. It should start at Stalingrad, 143 00:09:12,100 --> 00:09:15,940 circle through Paris and end in the 20th Arrondissement. 144 00:09:17,139 --> 00:09:21,519 The demonstration started at 2 pm and was ended 145 00:09:21,519 --> 00:09:26,980 at half past 3 because the security forces decided 146 00:09:26,980 --> 00:09:31,220 to encircle the demonstrators and to block them 147 00:09:31,220 --> 00:09:36,240 between a number of CRS lines [police]. 148 00:09:36,600 --> 00:09:39,480 The repression is currently completely directed 149 00:09:39,480 --> 00:09:42,700 against the social movements of the last months 150 00:09:42,700 --> 00:09:44,840 on occasion of the Loi Travail. 151 00:09:44,840 --> 00:09:48,019 The more we achieve with our demonstrations and 152 00:09:48,019 --> 00:09:50,620 the more weeks are passing by, 153 00:09:50,620 --> 00:09:54,539 the more brutal is the repression. As you can see in 154 00:09:54,600 --> 00:09:59,200 Rennes, in Nantes, everywhere in France, in Lille 155 00:09:59,200 --> 00:10:03,780 for example, where politically active people face 156 00:10:03,779 --> 00:10:08,759 an enormous repression because they dared to occupy 157 00:10:08,759 --> 00:10:12,960 a public square, because they have the misfortune to be 158 00:10:12,960 --> 00:10:16,700 at a demonstration, because they have the misfortune 159 00:10:16,700 --> 00:10:18,900 to be somewhere where 160 00:10:18,899 --> 00:10:21,519 things are getting out of control. 161 00:10:21,519 --> 00:10:24,519 And from this moment on any activism 162 00:10:24,519 --> 00:10:27,399 leads to repression. 163 00:10:27,539 --> 00:10:30,559 I can only state that I, as a demonstrator for about 164 00:10:30,559 --> 00:10:33,699 20 years, have never seen anything comparable to 165 00:10:33,700 --> 00:10:36,600 this police, who establish this kind of systematic 166 00:10:36,600 --> 00:10:38,820 repression at demonstrations. 167 00:10:38,919 --> 00:10:42,319 Violence against younger demonstrators, students 168 00:10:42,320 --> 00:10:45,300 - it's them who are most affected by it. 169 00:10:45,299 --> 00:10:47,839 Quite more than us in the union's parts 170 00:10:47,840 --> 00:10:50,019 and other parts of the demonstration. 171 00:10:50,120 --> 00:10:53,539 Alone being organized collectively in order to fight 172 00:10:53,539 --> 00:10:56,919 is criminalized. They call us "destroyers" 173 00:10:56,919 --> 00:11:00,039 or even "terrorists". This discourse 174 00:11:00,039 --> 00:11:03,459 has always existed, but now it's pushed 175 00:11:03,460 --> 00:11:06,740 by preventive arrests and custody 176 00:11:06,740 --> 00:11:10,519 that is extended systematically. 177 00:11:10,519 --> 00:11:14,799 These arrests are completely arbitrary 178 00:11:14,799 --> 00:11:19,079 and even lawyers say that everything is possible today. 179 00:11:19,279 --> 00:11:21,919 About the current situation: yesterday there was 180 00:11:21,919 --> 00:11:24,860 an antifascist demonstration and one part of it 181 00:11:24,860 --> 00:11:28,300 was encircled by the police. In order to get out, 182 00:11:28,299 --> 00:11:31,399 people had to hand over everything they carried. 183 00:11:31,399 --> 00:11:35,000 In some way I would call this robbery by the police. 184 00:11:35,000 --> 00:11:38,139 Some of the people complied - which can be criticized. 185 00:11:38,139 --> 00:11:41,059 But on the other hand there was arbitrariness 186 00:11:41,059 --> 00:11:44,019 by the police and sometimes you just don't know 187 00:11:44,019 --> 00:11:46,199 how to defend yourself in any way. 188 00:11:46,200 --> 00:11:48,280 But people are making a huge effort 189 00:11:48,279 --> 00:11:51,159 to convey the following: "No, not everything is permitted, 190 00:11:51,159 --> 00:11:53,459 we can still use the remaining remedies 191 00:11:53,460 --> 00:11:56,300 to defend ourselves." And there's also a drift 192 00:11:56,299 --> 00:11:58,719 developing from it, e.g. the mutual support. 193 00:11:58,799 --> 00:12:01,699 People are far better equipped today, e.g. against 194 00:12:01,700 --> 00:12:05,100 tear gas - I've never seen it before in this way. 195 00:12:05,100 --> 00:12:08,019 When they shoot tear gas at you and you don't 196 00:12:08,019 --> 00:12:10,679 have any equipment, there's immediately 197 00:12:10,679 --> 00:12:13,199 10 people around, helping you to rinse your eyes. 198 00:12:13,200 --> 00:12:15,700 And that's new indeed. I mean, people 199 00:12:15,700 --> 00:12:17,280 have been doing that before, 200 00:12:17,279 --> 00:12:19,600 but now there's a systematic side to it, 201 00:12:19,600 --> 00:12:22,139 which is becoming a standard in their practice. 202 00:12:22,139 --> 00:12:24,899 In my opinion that's really interesting, even if it sounds 203 00:12:24,899 --> 00:12:27,319 like old stories, but I believe that it means something. 204 00:12:27,419 --> 00:12:29,579 There's another remarkable thing: 205 00:12:29,580 --> 00:12:32,160 today there are hundreds of people on each 206 00:12:32,159 --> 00:12:35,759 demonstration who affront the police because it's part 207 00:12:35,759 --> 00:12:38,399 of their political practice. 208 00:12:38,399 --> 00:12:41,819 Surprising is now that more and more people 209 00:12:41,820 --> 00:12:45,400 stand behind them who wouldn't fight themselves but 210 00:12:45,399 --> 00:12:49,899 who fill the gap behind them and offer a peaceful 211 00:12:49,899 --> 00:12:53,039 but determined support for the others by saying 212 00:12:53,039 --> 00:12:55,179 'that's not my approach 213 00:12:55,179 --> 00:12:58,679 but I don't want people to get arrested.' I can't remember 214 00:12:58,679 --> 00:13:02,219 ever having experienced something like this before. 215 00:13:09,299 --> 00:13:12,019 After the attacks in November 2015 216 00:13:12,019 --> 00:13:15,399 the French government declared a state of emergency 217 00:13:15,399 --> 00:13:18,240 which is constantly extended by the parliament 218 00:13:18,240 --> 00:13:21,000 and that lasts until today. The state of emergency, 219 00:13:21,000 --> 00:13:23,940 which was imposed under the pretext of preventing 220 00:13:23,940 --> 00:13:27,000 terrorist attacks, entails an increasing militarization 221 00:13:27,000 --> 00:13:30,500 of the public sphere and makes repression against 222 00:13:30,500 --> 00:13:33,799 politically inconvenient persons and structures 223 00:13:33,799 --> 00:13:36,659 much easier for state 'security' forces. 224 00:13:36,779 --> 00:13:40,399 Thus only 5 of over 2500 house searches, 225 00:13:40,399 --> 00:13:43,279 executed without a judicial search order, 226 00:13:43,320 --> 00:13:46,500 led to charges on suspicion of terrorism. 227 00:13:46,659 --> 00:13:49,019 Meanwhile the government plans to transfer 228 00:13:49,019 --> 00:13:51,299 numerous measures from the state of emergency 229 00:13:51,299 --> 00:13:53,679 into normal conditions via constitutional change, 230 00:13:53,840 --> 00:13:56,840 which would mean a massive limitation of civil rights. 231 00:13:59,679 --> 00:14:03,819 The state of emergency turned 232 00:14:03,820 --> 00:14:08,200 the political situation in France upside down. 233 00:14:08,200 --> 00:14:11,480 This is especially true for activism in this period, 234 00:14:11,480 --> 00:14:14,080 because the emergency rule 235 00:14:14,080 --> 00:14:17,520 was enforced right after the attacks. 236 00:14:17,740 --> 00:14:20,720 The police is more and more present in the streets. 237 00:14:20,720 --> 00:14:23,620 It practically became impossible not to come 238 00:14:23,620 --> 00:14:26,240 across them when you leave the house. 239 00:14:26,240 --> 00:14:29,639 In the matter of social movements, demonstrations, 240 00:14:29,639 --> 00:14:33,659 political commemoration, political actions, assemblies 241 00:14:33,659 --> 00:14:37,620 - the police is everywhere. 242 00:14:37,620 --> 00:14:40,240 At the beginning they forbid every 243 00:14:40,240 --> 00:14:42,440 demonstration and assembly. 244 00:14:42,440 --> 00:14:45,400 Meanwhile they're not that strict anymore 245 00:14:45,399 --> 00:14:47,899 and therefore we can make demonstrations. 246 00:14:47,899 --> 00:14:51,120 But as you could see during the last months 247 00:14:51,120 --> 00:14:54,659 with the 'Loi Travail' and the movement torched by it, 248 00:14:54,659 --> 00:14:57,939 the repression became more and more visible 249 00:14:57,940 --> 00:14:59,800 and more violent. 250 00:14:59,960 --> 00:15:03,000 They're currently presenting a law that should end 251 00:15:03,000 --> 00:15:05,700 the state of emergency - but at the same time 252 00:15:05,700 --> 00:15:08,060 extend the measures of police and justice. 253 00:15:08,720 --> 00:15:11,720 So - well, you can feel the state of emergency 254 00:15:11,720 --> 00:15:13,899 especially in the Banlieues. 255 00:15:13,899 --> 00:15:16,959 And it is brought to this movement through pressure 256 00:15:16,960 --> 00:15:20,080 by the police, going like this: "Attention, attention, …", 257 00:15:20,080 --> 00:15:22,600 until the demonstrations get out of hand 258 00:15:22,600 --> 00:15:24,680 and people become desperate. 259 00:15:24,740 --> 00:15:27,519 On the essential evenings with confrontations on 260 00:15:27,519 --> 00:15:30,519 the square [Place de la République] there were 261 00:15:30,519 --> 00:15:33,179 a lot of young people here. Everybody was here, 262 00:15:33,179 --> 00:15:35,559 actually – 18-year old and 70-year old people 263 00:15:35,559 --> 00:15:36,859 - and the police. 264 00:15:36,860 --> 00:15:39,919 By day there were demonstrations where the police 265 00:15:39,919 --> 00:15:42,379 exerted enormous pressure. 266 00:15:42,460 --> 00:15:46,580 That's a matter affecting the whole protest movement. 267 00:15:46,580 --> 00:15:49,879 It's clear that the state of emergency 268 00:15:49,879 --> 00:15:52,259 changes all circumstances. 269 00:15:52,259 --> 00:15:54,519 That means: what was unimaginable 270 00:15:54,519 --> 00:15:57,480 two months ago is everyday reality now. 271 00:15:57,480 --> 00:16:00,899 Concerning strategies to keep up law and order 272 00:16:00,899 --> 00:16:04,299 - also activists with a lot of experience see things 273 00:16:04,299 --> 00:16:07,279 that they've never seen before. 274 00:16:07,519 --> 00:16:10,460 An offensive, aggressive security policy, 275 00:16:10,460 --> 00:16:13,720 willing to strike physically. 276 00:16:13,720 --> 00:16:17,259 We're not in a way of escorting demonstrations, 277 00:16:17,259 --> 00:16:20,259 with some scrambling and a snappy balance between 278 00:16:20,259 --> 00:16:22,500 demonstrators and police. 279 00:16:22,500 --> 00:16:25,019 Now we can see the intention to spread fear 280 00:16:25,019 --> 00:16:27,500 - especially towards young people. 281 00:16:27,799 --> 00:16:32,459 State of emergency means brutal repression 282 00:16:32,460 --> 00:16:36,660 - especially against minorities and non-white persons. 283 00:16:36,659 --> 00:16:39,980 They are searching for people 284 00:16:39,980 --> 00:16:42,879 they can blame for the attacks. 285 00:16:42,879 --> 00:16:46,100 They are trying to prevent further ISIS-attacks 286 00:16:46,100 --> 00:16:49,200 but they are also turning against groups 287 00:16:49,200 --> 00:16:52,200 they call "religious communities". 288 00:16:52,200 --> 00:16:55,920 In terms of the state but also in parts 289 00:16:55,919 --> 00:16:58,919 of the general public, "religious communities" 290 00:16:58,919 --> 00:17:02,039 nowadays only means “Muslims”. 291 00:17:02,039 --> 00:17:06,079 If you're Catholic, Jewish, Hindu or religious 292 00:17:06,079 --> 00:17:10,439 in some other way, you are neither "community" 293 00:17:10,440 --> 00:17:14,960 nor a religious extremist. 294 00:17:14,960 --> 00:17:18,559 For the French state it's only Muslims. 295 00:17:18,559 --> 00:17:21,899 There really is a huge repression. 296 00:17:21,900 --> 00:17:26,120 They try to find Jihadists everywhere, 297 00:17:26,119 --> 00:17:30,339 remand people in custody whose beard is too long 298 00:17:30,339 --> 00:17:33,839 or whose clothes they dislike. 299 00:17:33,839 --> 00:17:37,559 And for veiled women it obviously became 300 00:17:37,559 --> 00:17:41,740 more complicated because today the veil 301 00:17:41,740 --> 00:17:46,279 is an enemy of the French state and of the 302 00:17:46,279 --> 00:17:51,180 French population - as the media puts it. 303 00:18:32,559 --> 00:18:36,059 In March 2016 the government's neo-liberal 304 00:18:36,059 --> 00:18:39,419 labor market reform provoked resistance. 305 00:18:39,420 --> 00:18:43,160 Subsequently French unions organized strikes 306 00:18:43,160 --> 00:18:45,860 spreading over the whole country. 307 00:18:45,980 --> 00:18:48,799 At the same time a young protest movement 308 00:18:48,799 --> 00:18:50,940 called 'Nuit debout' developed. 309 00:18:50,940 --> 00:18:54,860 It connected different people and didn't only criticize 310 00:18:54,859 --> 00:18:57,500 the new labor law but began questioning 311 00:18:57,500 --> 00:19:00,619 the whole political and economical system. 312 00:19:00,720 --> 00:19:03,839 As an initial impulse for the development of 'Nuit debout' 313 00:19:03,839 --> 00:19:06,539 the anti-oligarchic documentary movie 314 00:19:06,539 --> 00:19:08,920 'Merci Patron!' is mentioned. 315 00:19:08,920 --> 00:19:11,700 It deals with the closure of factories by 316 00:19:11,700 --> 00:19:15,019 a luxury company and the resulting unemployment 317 00:19:15,019 --> 00:19:17,359 and worker poverty. 318 00:19:17,460 --> 00:19:20,340 Meanwhile, the legislative package was passed 319 00:19:20,339 --> 00:19:22,980 but activists and unionists keep fighting 320 00:19:22,980 --> 00:19:24,960 for its withdrawal. 321 00:19:38,220 --> 00:19:40,640 At the beginning of 'Nuit debout' 322 00:19:40,640 --> 00:19:43,240 several events took place. 323 00:19:43,240 --> 00:19:46,799 At first there was a movie related to the periodical paper 324 00:19:46,799 --> 00:19:50,279 'FAKIR', called 'Merci Patron!' [Thanks, boss!]. 325 00:19:50,279 --> 00:19:52,920 And people who made this movie... 326 00:19:52,920 --> 00:19:55,759 We heard that people left the preview screening 327 00:19:55,759 --> 00:19:58,240 of the movie charged with a lot of energy 328 00:19:58,240 --> 00:20:00,299 to change something and they said 329 00:20:00,299 --> 00:20:03,000 'Ok, we will collect contact data from everybody 330 00:20:03,000 --> 00:20:05,519 who watched the movie and we'll meet 331 00:20:05,519 --> 00:20:08,379 at the union's building opposite to the square. 332 00:20:08,380 --> 00:20:10,980 And then we'll see what we can do 333 00:20:10,980 --> 00:20:12,880 with this energy.' 334 00:20:12,880 --> 00:20:15,800 At an assembly people proposed: "Let's not just 335 00:20:15,799 --> 00:20:18,700 go home now. We're tired of making demonstrations 336 00:20:18,700 --> 00:20:21,279 once a week and then going back to work, 337 00:20:21,279 --> 00:20:23,139 waiting for the next demonstration on the 338 00:20:23,140 --> 00:20:24,780 following week and so on. 339 00:20:24,779 --> 00:20:27,379 There was a demonstration on March 31st 340 00:20:27,380 --> 00:20:29,860 and we didn't go home afterwards, 341 00:20:29,859 --> 00:20:32,199 but occupied a square and stayed there. 342 00:20:32,200 --> 00:20:34,279 Everything developed from this moment. 343 00:20:34,279 --> 00:20:36,940 There were some dozens or one-hundred people 344 00:20:36,940 --> 00:20:39,860 organizing it and we stayed for the whole night 345 00:20:39,859 --> 00:20:42,959 and even the whole weekend to talk about politics, 346 00:20:42,960 --> 00:20:44,620 to get together. 347 00:20:44,619 --> 00:20:48,119 We came from different fields of political activity 348 00:20:48,119 --> 00:20:51,899 and we wanted to share our motivation for mobilization, 349 00:20:51,900 --> 00:20:55,100 our working approaches and our work in general. 350 00:20:55,099 --> 00:20:57,759 So we do what's called "fusion of fights". 351 00:20:57,759 --> 00:21:00,359 We meet here, take our time to get to know 352 00:21:00,359 --> 00:21:02,619 each other, to discuss, to build something. 353 00:21:02,619 --> 00:21:04,859 It wasn't spontaneously really, because we 354 00:21:04,859 --> 00:21:07,259 prepared it but it was interesting that the people 355 00:21:07,259 --> 00:21:10,119 who heard the call, were mostly people 356 00:21:10,119 --> 00:21:12,239 who didn't have any militant experience, 357 00:21:12,240 --> 00:21:14,640 who discovered everything for the first time 358 00:21:14,640 --> 00:21:16,720 but who also wanted to do something. 359 00:21:16,720 --> 00:21:19,440 Thus, we were a number of people already being 360 00:21:19,440 --> 00:21:22,000 active in movements and others who said 361 00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:25,420 'We're living in a system that doesn't offer a way out 362 00:21:25,420 --> 00:21:28,440 and therefore we'll simply build up 363 00:21:28,440 --> 00:21:30,440 what we need ourselves. 364 00:21:30,440 --> 00:21:32,980 We don't know yet which form it'll have, 365 00:21:32,980 --> 00:21:35,059 we don't know exactly how we'll do it 366 00:21:35,059 --> 00:21:37,119 but we'll sit down together 367 00:21:37,119 --> 00:21:39,559 and we'll create it together.' 368 00:21:39,559 --> 00:21:42,000 'I may not have any experience, 369 00:21:42,000 --> 00:21:44,279 my ideas are quite blurry, 370 00:21:44,279 --> 00:21:46,379 but I don't want this system anymore. 371 00:21:46,380 --> 00:21:48,860 And I want to take part in creating something new.' 372 00:21:49,000 --> 00:21:51,619 Regarding the Loi Travail - which is also called 373 00:21:51,619 --> 00:21:53,519 Loi El Khomri, after Myriam El Khomri, 374 00:21:53,519 --> 00:21:55,319 minister for employment: 375 00:21:55,519 --> 00:21:59,720 It was published on February 17th and it is aimed 376 00:21:59,720 --> 00:22:03,180 at changing labor law completely. 377 00:22:03,180 --> 00:22:05,980 It contains 130 pages and 52 articles. 378 00:22:05,980 --> 00:22:09,200 Therefore it's a very complex law that affects 379 00:22:09,200 --> 00:22:12,200 the employee's conditions in many points, 380 00:22:12,200 --> 00:22:13,799 especially working hours. 381 00:22:13,799 --> 00:22:17,700 It's a law that aims to extend the weekly 382 00:22:17,700 --> 00:22:22,360 working time and to keep it variable in order 383 00:22:22,359 --> 00:22:25,819 to serve the company and the employer. 384 00:22:25,819 --> 00:22:30,460 For example: It will be possible to make blanket 385 00:22:30,460 --> 00:22:34,519 daily working time contracts. 386 00:22:34,519 --> 00:22:38,359 These will be working contracts that will determine 387 00:22:38,359 --> 00:22:42,079 a general payment without considering overtime. 388 00:22:42,079 --> 00:22:45,319 People would work any number of overtime 389 00:22:45,319 --> 00:22:47,859 hours by getting the same payment. 390 00:22:47,859 --> 00:22:51,159 In the big companies this has to be negotiated 391 00:22:51,160 --> 00:22:54,000 with the unions but it's planned [in the law] 392 00:22:54,000 --> 00:22:56,759 that companies with up to 50 employees, 393 00:22:56,759 --> 00:23:00,099 mid-size companies, can make these contracts 394 00:23:00,099 --> 00:23:03,259 without the union's agreement. 395 00:23:03,380 --> 00:23:06,600 Protest emerged quite fast. As I said, the 396 00:23:06,599 --> 00:23:10,399 legislative proposal was published on February 17th 397 00:23:10,400 --> 00:23:13,680 and the unions stated very early 398 00:23:13,680 --> 00:23:16,680 'That's a scandal! First of all, the legislative proposal 399 00:23:16,680 --> 00:23:18,660 is bad - bad for the employees. 400 00:23:18,660 --> 00:23:21,440 Secondly, we haven't been asked'. 401 00:23:21,440 --> 00:23:25,320 There was indeed a two-hour-meeting, where 402 00:23:25,319 --> 00:23:29,519 CGT, Force Ouvrière, CFDT (the big unions) were invited, 403 00:23:29,519 --> 00:23:32,379 but they didn't ask for our opinion. 404 00:23:32,380 --> 00:23:34,900 So the law's content was dictated. 405 00:23:34,900 --> 00:23:38,180 Therefore the big unions protested very fast. 406 00:23:38,319 --> 00:23:41,439 Youth organizations and university students 407 00:23:41,440 --> 00:23:44,200 also expressed their protest. 408 00:23:44,319 --> 00:23:47,099 During the strike days there sometimes are 'Nuit debout' 409 00:23:47,099 --> 00:23:49,459 blocks in the demonstrations and sometimes 410 00:23:49,460 --> 00:23:52,039 there are none. Everybody mixes with 411 00:23:52,039 --> 00:23:55,200 everybody, with unions' blocks or with other activists 412 00:23:55,200 --> 00:23:57,519 in front of the demonstration. 413 00:23:57,519 --> 00:24:00,440 As you can see - everybody can find a place. 414 00:24:00,440 --> 00:24:03,900 People are trying to make something out of it. 415 00:24:03,900 --> 00:24:06,860 Unions were invited several times to speak here. 416 00:24:07,059 --> 00:24:10,419 Apart from that, we're besides traditional 417 00:24:10,420 --> 00:24:13,680 political paths. We are bit less remote from the 418 00:24:13,680 --> 00:24:17,600 unions because many of us are organized in unions. 419 00:24:17,599 --> 00:24:20,539 On the other hand, the methods and forms of action 420 00:24:20,539 --> 00:24:23,139 are quite different from the unionist traditions. 421 00:24:23,140 --> 00:24:25,720 So we try working together with 'reason', 422 00:24:25,720 --> 00:24:27,420 whereby there definitely are a lot of 423 00:24:27,420 --> 00:24:28,820 significant differences. 424 00:24:28,920 --> 00:24:31,360 That partly runs together with unionist organizations 425 00:24:31,359 --> 00:24:33,759 because unionsts often come to the square. 426 00:24:33,759 --> 00:24:36,440 Then people take the mic and say 'I'm from the CGT 427 00:24:36,440 --> 00:24:38,799 and in my company this and that happens 428 00:24:38,799 --> 00:24:40,819 also I think this and that.' 429 00:24:40,819 --> 00:24:43,960 But there are also people mistrusting the unions: 430 00:24:43,960 --> 00:24:47,880 young people, unorganized people. Nevertheless there 431 00:24:47,880 --> 00:24:51,280 are also times with a great proximity to the unions. 432 00:24:51,279 --> 00:24:56,180 For example: On April 28th, a thursday, there were some 433 00:24:56,180 --> 00:25:00,779 big demonstrations. 50 or 60,000 people in Paris. 434 00:25:00,779 --> 00:25:05,039 Unions were invited to the meeting 435 00:25:05,039 --> 00:25:08,720 that took place at the Place de la République. 436 00:25:08,720 --> 00:25:12,779 The general secretary of the CGT 437 00:25:12,779 --> 00:25:15,700 Philippe Martinez, who represents approximately 438 00:25:15,700 --> 00:25:18,480 700,000 employees after all, came there. 439 00:25:18,480 --> 00:25:21,220 He spoke there, and he wasn't the first one, 440 00:25:21,220 --> 00:25:24,160 but he let several people speak before him 441 00:25:24,160 --> 00:25:26,640 and waited. Then he called up 442 00:25:26,640 --> 00:25:29,340 for a strike, even for a general strike. 443 00:25:29,339 --> 00:25:31,839 And that was new because the CGT didn't use 444 00:25:31,839 --> 00:25:34,299 the word 'general strike' in this conflict before. 445 00:25:34,460 --> 00:25:37,140 He said indeed 'I'd call up for a general strike if 446 00:25:37,140 --> 00:25:39,780 the government's actions make it necessary, 447 00:25:39,779 --> 00:25:41,559 if it doesn't withdraw.' 448 00:25:41,559 --> 00:25:44,679 To the more radical people who say 'general strike' 449 00:25:44,680 --> 00:25:47,279 carelessly he said that you can't order it. 450 00:25:47,279 --> 00:25:49,899 This wouldn't happen because you want it 451 00:25:49,900 --> 00:25:51,900 - it needs to be built up. 452 00:25:51,900 --> 00:25:54,860 Therefore we need to go into the companies. 453 00:25:54,859 --> 00:25:58,699 Both found each other there: the non-unionist 454 00:25:58,700 --> 00:26:01,720 organized, young people who are not organized, 455 00:26:01,720 --> 00:26:04,519 precarious people the unions don't care 456 00:26:04,519 --> 00:26:06,879 about enough and the unionist themselves. 457 00:26:06,880 --> 00:26:09,260 There were times when they worked well together 458 00:26:09,259 --> 00:26:11,019 and there were more suspicious phases. 459 00:26:11,019 --> 00:26:12,980 But I would say that the question is: 460 00:26:12,980 --> 00:26:14,559 How can they come together? 461 00:26:14,559 --> 00:26:16,079 Because otherwise we can't win. 462 00:26:16,200 --> 00:26:19,059 The CNT is an anarcho-syndicalist union, 463 00:26:19,059 --> 00:26:22,359 it' anarchist, revolutionary. We are located in quite 464 00:26:22,359 --> 00:26:25,459 a lot of vocational sectors in France with more or 465 00:26:25,460 --> 00:26:28,380 less importance depending on the professional branch 466 00:26:28,380 --> 00:26:30,420 and the region. 467 00:26:30,579 --> 00:26:34,259 ...and at strikes, by striking, by being present 468 00:26:34,259 --> 00:26:37,799 at demonstrations and activities, by being present 469 00:26:37,799 --> 00:26:42,000 at Nuit debout also - you might have heard of it, 470 00:26:42,000 --> 00:26:46,000 this public space of permanent assemblies 471 00:26:46,000 --> 00:26:49,819 with good and not so good things, interesting and 472 00:26:49,819 --> 00:26:53,299 not so interesting things. But anyway, 473 00:26:53,299 --> 00:26:57,799 there happens a lot, a politicization of the public sphere 474 00:26:57,799 --> 00:27:01,839 where we assured our part as a union. 475 00:27:02,059 --> 00:27:05,099 We're continuing our work: propaganda, leaflets, 476 00:27:05,099 --> 00:27:07,839 publications, communiques, calls for strikes. 477 00:27:07,839 --> 00:27:10,199 Of course we call up for general strikes 478 00:27:10,200 --> 00:27:12,880 right from the beginning. Within our means 479 00:27:12,880 --> 00:27:15,000 we try to strike as much as we can. 480 00:27:15,119 --> 00:27:19,019 And besides that there 's an unbelievable amount of 481 00:27:19,019 --> 00:27:23,079 active people in the CNT who are very committed, 482 00:27:23,079 --> 00:27:26,980 who are acting as the "free" head at demonstrations. 483 00:27:26,980 --> 00:27:30,940 And this shows that the CNT 484 00:27:30,940 --> 00:27:36,279 is an union but an union that's 485 00:27:36,279 --> 00:27:40,500 different regarding its function, aims and approaches, 486 00:27:40,500 --> 00:27:43,700 just a little different compared to the 487 00:27:43,700 --> 00:27:46,640 traditional union structures. 488 00:27:46,740 --> 00:27:49,120 We don't know where we are heading from the 489 00:27:49,140 --> 00:27:51,120 beginning, or what we're building up. 490 00:27:51,119 --> 00:27:53,059 We don't know how to build it up yet. 491 00:27:53,059 --> 00:27:55,460 We are reinventing everything each time. 492 00:27:55,460 --> 00:27:57,779 Sometimes we reinvent things that have already 493 00:27:57,799 --> 00:28:00,399 been invented. Therefore it doesn't go very fast. 494 00:28:00,400 --> 00:28:03,080 What's interesting about it: an enormous 495 00:28:03,079 --> 00:28:05,839 number of people is mobilized for militant actions. 496 00:28:05,839 --> 00:28:07,879 And - we've talked about this before 497 00:28:07,880 --> 00:28:10,260 - among those people there are many 498 00:28:10,259 --> 00:28:13,640 who never raised their voice before against oppression, 499 00:28:13,640 --> 00:28:16,800 against capitalism and its functions, against the 500 00:28:16,799 --> 00:28:20,720 usage of police to beat down every opposition. 501 00:28:20,720 --> 00:28:23,860 And therefore there are many people 502 00:28:23,859 --> 00:28:27,819 who stand up and push forward new ideas. 503 00:28:27,819 --> 00:28:30,859 There's the assemblée populaire which is a great 504 00:28:30,859 --> 00:28:33,299 place to talk, where everybody can make 505 00:28:33,299 --> 00:28:35,980 proposals, where everybody can speak. 506 00:28:36,099 --> 00:28:39,119 There are commissions, which are working spaces 507 00:28:39,119 --> 00:28:41,739 to create new ideas and activities 508 00:28:41,740 --> 00:28:44,400 that are put into practice afterwards. 509 00:28:44,400 --> 00:28:47,880 Then there are the demonstrations and actions 510 00:28:47,880 --> 00:28:50,820 that start here. This is important to us because 511 00:28:50,819 --> 00:28:54,259 it keeps up the connection with the social movement 512 00:28:54,259 --> 00:28:57,740 on the square, especially with the movement 513 00:28:57,740 --> 00:29:00,960 against the Loi El Khomri, the labor law, but also with 514 00:29:00,960 --> 00:29:03,980 the actions, the presentations [at the square] 515 00:29:03,980 --> 00:29:06,380 or with the [striking] railway employees, 516 00:29:06,380 --> 00:29:09,440 the electricians, the gas workers, the teachers 517 00:29:09,440 --> 00:29:12,299 who think about how to change the relationship 518 00:29:12,299 --> 00:29:14,240 between school and society. 519 00:29:14,240 --> 00:29:16,839 There are many things starting here. 520 00:29:17,079 --> 00:29:19,819 Yes, there's some exchange. From the beginning 521 00:29:19,819 --> 00:29:22,439 we were told: 'In some way you're like the 522 00:29:22,440 --> 00:29:25,059 Indignados in Spain, you're like Podemos etc.' 523 00:29:25,059 --> 00:29:27,339 We dissociated ourselves from that. 524 00:29:27,339 --> 00:29:30,220 We said we're very interested in exchange with 525 00:29:30,220 --> 00:29:33,400 Spanish people, Greek people, Germans - with the 526 00:29:33,400 --> 00:29:36,740 whole planet, Turkish people occupying squares, 527 00:29:36,740 --> 00:29:40,319 Egyptians but every movement is very different. 528 00:29:40,319 --> 00:29:45,519 We're surely no spin-off or offspring of the 529 00:29:45,519 --> 00:29:49,200 Indignados. We're building up our own 530 00:29:49,200 --> 00:29:52,200 movement, it's impossible to say where it goes. 531 00:29:52,200 --> 00:29:54,539 For the matter of international connections: 532 00:29:54,539 --> 00:29:57,099 They exist, there's a commission dealing with them. 533 00:29:57,099 --> 00:29:59,619 The connection to Spain is the strongest because 534 00:29:59,619 --> 00:30:01,879 we interact with Spanish people, who are here 535 00:30:01,880 --> 00:30:04,180 from the beginning. People from all over the 536 00:30:04,180 --> 00:30:06,480 world are coming here. 537 00:30:06,480 --> 00:30:09,319 And we're trying to build up new connections 538 00:30:09,319 --> 00:30:12,740 for really becoming international. 539 00:30:12,900 --> 00:30:16,880 We stated what we won't tolerate on the square: 540 00:30:16,880 --> 00:30:20,700 neither racism, nor sexism, no infiltration by 541 00:30:20,700 --> 00:30:24,319 right-wing people arguing ambiguous, 542 00:30:24,319 --> 00:30:27,200 or being openly violent as it happened the 543 00:30:27,200 --> 00:30:30,400 first Saturday night of Nuit debout. 544 00:30:30,400 --> 00:30:33,320 Since then we have this position. 545 00:30:33,319 --> 00:30:35,939 There is no place for extremely right-wing 546 00:30:35,940 --> 00:30:39,059 people here. And that's something everybody agrees on. 547 00:30:39,059 --> 00:30:41,419 Nevertheless there have been debates. 548 00:30:41,420 --> 00:30:43,900 Some people said that we should let them speak 549 00:30:43,900 --> 00:30:46,360 and see afterwards, whether their ideas are bad, 550 00:30:46,359 --> 00:30:47,979 so that we could send them away. 551 00:30:47,980 --> 00:30:50,319 But many of us were saying, that we did not create 552 00:30:50,319 --> 00:30:52,559 a place like this to give it to people 553 00:30:52,559 --> 00:30:54,759 already having a place to speak 554 00:30:54,759 --> 00:30:57,400 and who want to silence our voices. 555 00:31:05,720 --> 00:31:08,480 Despite a new social movement from the left, 556 00:31:08,480 --> 00:31:11,339 right-wing forces are still growing stronger 557 00:31:11,339 --> 00:31:14,359 in France - as in many other European countries. 558 00:31:14,359 --> 00:31:17,759 The Front National, stoking a climate of fear after 559 00:31:17,759 --> 00:31:21,000 the attacks in November 2015 and using it for 560 00:31:21,000 --> 00:31:24,579 personal gain, reached their best election result 561 00:31:24,579 --> 00:31:27,960 in history at the regional elections in December 562 00:31:27,960 --> 00:31:31,400 2015 with 6.7 million votes. 563 00:31:31,839 --> 00:31:34,439 The reactionary organization 'Manif pour tous' 564 00:31:34,440 --> 00:31:36,759 is still taking thousands of people to the streets 565 00:31:36,759 --> 00:31:38,859 for demonstrations against homosexual marriages. 566 00:31:39,000 --> 00:31:42,859 New right-wing movements try to establish racist 567 00:31:42,859 --> 00:31:47,240 resentments in society in the guise of freedom of speech. 568 00:31:55,839 --> 00:31:58,559 Generally the right-wing is on the run when a 569 00:31:58,559 --> 00:32:01,279 new politic space appears. Concerning the 570 00:32:01,279 --> 00:32:03,660 institutional right, the Front National: 571 00:32:03,660 --> 00:32:06,519 they have a problem because they are not quite able 572 00:32:06,519 --> 00:32:09,379 to react to a movement. Because on the one hand 573 00:32:09,380 --> 00:32:12,140 - from a populist point of view - they want 574 00:32:12,140 --> 00:32:15,160 to attend this movement and dedicate themselves to it. 575 00:32:15,160 --> 00:32:18,300 On the other hand they see themselves as guards 576 00:32:18,299 --> 00:32:21,740 of a republican order due to their conservative views 577 00:32:21,740 --> 00:32:24,740 and therefore they can't just say: 578 00:32:24,740 --> 00:32:28,259 'Yes, strikes and blockades are the right thing.' 579 00:32:28,339 --> 00:32:30,419 There was a demonstration by discontent 580 00:32:30,420 --> 00:32:32,000 policemen and -women here on the 581 00:32:32,000 --> 00:32:34,259 Place de la République on Wednesday, March 18th. 582 00:32:34,319 --> 00:32:37,579 There were 1000 policemen and -women from different 583 00:32:37,579 --> 00:32:40,039 police unions, especially from a 584 00:32:40,039 --> 00:32:42,319 right-wing union called 'Alliance'. 585 00:32:42,319 --> 00:32:45,079 The policemen and -women demonstrated here 586 00:32:45,079 --> 00:32:48,139 to support the public relations of the FN. 587 00:32:48,140 --> 00:32:50,480 In advance the FN announced 588 00:32:50,480 --> 00:32:53,220 'We're going to support the policemen'. 589 00:32:53,220 --> 00:32:57,360 That was some bad propaganda, because the FN-boss 590 00:32:57,359 --> 00:33:00,519 in the region Ile de France, Wallerand de Saint-Just, 591 00:33:00,519 --> 00:33:03,599 published an article on the internet where he stated: 592 00:33:03,599 --> 00:33:06,319 'I'm standing here with this injured policeman', 593 00:33:06,319 --> 00:33:08,159 using a press photo. 594 00:33:08,160 --> 00:33:10,800 There's an injured policeman on the photo lying 595 00:33:10,799 --> 00:33:13,379 on the ground and bleeding, but he wasn't hurt here 596 00:33:13,380 --> 00:33:15,380 - but in Thailand. 597 00:33:15,380 --> 00:33:18,100 It was a Thai policeman from 2014, two years ago. 598 00:33:18,220 --> 00:33:22,319 That was the prologue. And then they came to 599 00:33:22,319 --> 00:33:25,279 this square. The day of the demonstration there 600 00:33:25,279 --> 00:33:28,000 were grids around the square, you couldn't just 601 00:33:28,000 --> 00:33:30,519 enter - you needed a press card or police ID. 602 00:33:30,519 --> 00:33:32,839 Parliamentarians could also enter, because 603 00:33:32,839 --> 00:33:35,039 you could pass with a parliamentarian ID. 604 00:33:35,039 --> 00:33:37,119 The Front National has two parliamentarians 605 00:33:37,119 --> 00:33:38,679 in the National Parliament, 606 00:33:38,680 --> 00:33:41,000 Marion Maréchal-Le Pen - a young woman - 607 00:33:41,000 --> 00:33:43,319 and Gilbert Collard, a former lawyer. The two of them 608 00:33:43,319 --> 00:33:45,779 came here. It was quite a great success for them, 609 00:33:45,779 --> 00:33:48,079 because many policemen and -women wanted to take 610 00:33:48,079 --> 00:33:49,939 a picture with them, especially with 611 00:33:49,940 --> 00:33:51,799 Marion Maréchal-Le Pen. So they were 612 00:33:51,799 --> 00:33:53,460 in the public's eye again. 613 00:33:53,680 --> 00:33:57,400 A climate of fear, times of social uncertainty, 614 00:33:57,400 --> 00:34:00,120 uncertainty in the world of employment 615 00:34:00,119 --> 00:34:02,919 or uncertainty on the street due to the 616 00:34:02,920 --> 00:34:07,519 assassinations and other things - that's always a 617 00:34:07,519 --> 00:34:10,900 soil for extreme right-wing structures to flourish. 618 00:34:10,900 --> 00:34:14,280 But there's a tendency - in France and abroad - 619 00:34:14,280 --> 00:34:17,680 to pretend that right-wingers have won in every 620 00:34:17,679 --> 00:34:20,819 aspect. That means: no matter what happens - 621 00:34:20,820 --> 00:34:24,700 right-wingers benefit from it. 622 00:34:25,179 --> 00:34:29,259 In Switzerland there's a xenophobic, populist, 623 00:34:29,260 --> 00:34:32,740 islamophobic party, the UDC, 624 00:34:32,739 --> 00:34:36,359 Schweizerische Volkspartei, SVP 625 00:34:36,360 --> 00:34:42,420 This party regularly presents public petitions concerning 626 00:34:42,420 --> 00:34:46,240 asylum law and this makes life harder 627 00:34:46,239 --> 00:34:50,679 for migrants in Switzerland. 628 00:34:50,679 --> 00:34:54,980 Nowadays the Front National takes over poster motifs 629 00:34:54,980 --> 00:34:59,840 from every SVP campaign. There's a poster made 630 00:34:59,840 --> 00:35:04,240 by the SVP showing a minaret and also used 631 00:35:04,239 --> 00:35:08,419 by the Front National. 632 00:35:09,760 --> 00:35:14,240 For every election success of the SVP in Switzerland 633 00:35:14,239 --> 00:35:18,859 Marine Le Pen pipes up and congratulates the SVP and 634 00:35:18,860 --> 00:35:22,800 Switzerland for passing xenophobic, racist laws. 635 00:35:22,800 --> 00:35:26,440 On the other hand, from my point of view, 636 00:35:26,440 --> 00:35:32,519 it's the French fascist groups on the margin of the FN 637 00:35:32,519 --> 00:35:36,780 who are a bigger problem in Switzerland, 638 00:35:36,780 --> 00:35:40,180 because there's a border to France. 639 00:35:40,179 --> 00:35:46,839 Due to the fact that the Swiss right-wingers 640 00:35:46,840 --> 00:35:54,640 built up many connections to the French right-wingers 641 00:35:54,639 --> 00:36:01,379 there are many militant French Neo-Fascists 642 00:36:01,380 --> 00:36:07,320 coming to Switzerland for working and exporting 643 00:36:07,320 --> 00:36:12,160 their activism, their knowledge - and that creates a 644 00:36:12,159 --> 00:36:16,019 transnational connection 645 00:36:16,019 --> 00:36:21,539 between Switzerland and France. 646 00:36:21,679 --> 00:36:25,659 The [right] radicals are traditionally living by the baton. 647 00:36:25,659 --> 00:36:29,099 Therefore they often attack demonstrators themselves 648 00:36:29,099 --> 00:36:32,819 acting like an auxiliary police. It always was like this. 649 00:36:32,820 --> 00:36:36,539 Now there's something new and that's the confusionists. 650 00:36:36,539 --> 00:36:39,860 They are saying that they're not right-wing. 651 00:36:39,860 --> 00:36:42,599 They're representing right-wing opinions but they say 652 00:36:42,599 --> 00:36:45,099 that's freedom of speech and see themselves 653 00:36:45,099 --> 00:36:48,460 as a social movement. But they're a small minority. 654 00:36:48,460 --> 00:36:51,760 It's problematic, that right-wing structures changed 655 00:36:51,760 --> 00:36:54,820 their appearance very much. Therefore they can 656 00:36:54,820 --> 00:36:58,120 intrude new fields without being directly connected 657 00:36:58,119 --> 00:37:01,179 with the political right and without being uncovered. 658 00:37:01,179 --> 00:37:04,440 And even if they are there is this strange relation 659 00:37:04,440 --> 00:37:07,920 to freedom of speech today, saying that every opinion 660 00:37:07,920 --> 00:37:10,599 has to be respected and that racism were 661 00:37:10,599 --> 00:37:13,659 'not good but an opinion like the others' and that 662 00:37:13,659 --> 00:37:16,879 you need to listen to everybody and so on. And that 663 00:37:16,880 --> 00:37:20,140 nothing needs to be more protected than this fact. 664 00:37:20,300 --> 00:37:23,920 The right-wing is on a lifted and well developed 665 00:37:23,920 --> 00:37:26,940 level. I would say that's the result of four years of 666 00:37:26,940 --> 00:37:29,760 social-democratic policy which failed in 667 00:37:29,760 --> 00:37:32,500 all sectors, which is bad in all sectors and 668 00:37:32,500 --> 00:37:35,360 contributed to the increasing votes for the 669 00:37:35,360 --> 00:37:38,400 political right from those, who were disappointed 670 00:37:38,400 --> 00:37:40,900 by social democracy. But right-wingers have 671 00:37:40,900 --> 00:37:43,420 already been on a good level before. 672 00:37:43,539 --> 00:37:47,699 The most important right-wing party, the Front National, 673 00:37:47,699 --> 00:37:51,599 got 17.9% - let's say 18% - in the presidential elections 674 00:37:51,599 --> 00:37:56,839 on April 22nd 2012. The votes increased from there. 675 00:37:56,840 --> 00:38:01,400 They had 18% and today they get 25% of the votes, 676 00:38:01,400 --> 00:38:06,099 whereby there was a high abstention rate. 677 00:38:06,099 --> 00:38:11,019 So...There were local elections in March 2014 678 00:38:11,019 --> 00:38:13,980 and European elections on March 25th 2014 679 00:38:13,980 --> 00:38:17,179 when the Front National got 25%. 680 00:38:17,179 --> 00:38:20,619 There were Départment elections in March 2015 681 00:38:20,619 --> 00:38:24,159 - another 25% for the Front National. 682 00:38:24,159 --> 00:38:27,719 There were regional elections in December 2015 where 683 00:38:27,719 --> 00:38:30,159 the Front National got 27%. 684 00:38:30,159 --> 00:38:32,539 Thus: they're on a high level. 685 00:38:32,539 --> 00:38:35,440 The result of 4 years left-wing government 686 00:38:35,440 --> 00:38:38,099 is completely bad and that contributed to it. 687 00:38:38,300 --> 00:38:41,580 We as autonomous antifascists find elections 688 00:38:41,579 --> 00:38:44,319 interesting but we're not affected directly. 689 00:38:44,320 --> 00:38:46,980 It doesn't seem to be important to us who 690 00:38:46,980 --> 00:38:49,539 wins the elections in 2017 but we're asking ourselves 691 00:38:49,539 --> 00:38:52,199 if the people will finally start thinking about 692 00:38:52,199 --> 00:38:54,480 how to organize society and about how 693 00:38:54,480 --> 00:38:56,199 they want to live. 694 00:38:56,199 --> 00:38:58,639 And it's definitely necessary to resist. 695 00:38:58,639 --> 00:39:01,279 No matter who's head of the state, it's gonna be 696 00:39:01,280 --> 00:39:04,260 the same police, the same policy, it's gonna be the 697 00:39:04,260 --> 00:39:07,500 same changes. And for us: which projects are we going 698 00:39:07,500 --> 00:39:11,400 to develop, which projects are we going to push further. 699 00:39:11,400 --> 00:39:14,559 These are our questions. 700 00:40:20,420 --> 00:40:25,500 Rap is a tool in the antifascist struggle for expressing 701 00:40:25,500 --> 00:40:29,920 parts of the struggle. When we either make 702 00:40:29,920 --> 00:40:34,019 a rap concert or we spend a good time with people, 703 00:40:34,019 --> 00:40:37,679 bringing them closer to this discourse or giving them 704 00:40:37,679 --> 00:40:40,719 an understanding of our texts. When we back people up 705 00:40:40,719 --> 00:40:43,599 who hang out with our comrades 706 00:40:43,599 --> 00:40:46,839 - that's fun, it's a pleasure. 707 00:40:47,239 --> 00:40:51,159 And music is good because it...it allows to 708 00:40:51,159 --> 00:40:55,000 touch people, to sensitize them for certain ideas 709 00:40:55,000 --> 00:40:58,780 and practices. Because you don't choose to be 710 00:40:58,780 --> 00:41:03,240 touched by music, it happens randomly. 711 00:41:03,239 --> 00:41:08,039 Then you try to understand and you come across 712 00:41:08,039 --> 00:41:12,539 what we do with [the label] BBoyKonsian, 713 00:41:12,539 --> 00:41:16,360 what we develop, how we live, how we're organized, 714 00:41:16,360 --> 00:41:19,680 what we're doing on the streets and so on. 715 00:41:19,679 --> 00:41:23,819 I actually think that we could inspire many people. 716 00:41:23,820 --> 00:41:27,580 Those people only liked rap before. 717 00:41:27,579 --> 00:41:31,639 And then they say 'Wow, I like rap, i like Première Ligne 718 00:41:31,639 --> 00:41:34,639 and then I'm already inside this universe', 719 00:41:34,639 --> 00:41:37,239 that's how it goes. 720 00:41:37,480 --> 00:41:41,219 I think, that the point here is an unexpected 721 00:41:41,219 --> 00:41:44,839 development of a progressive social movement 722 00:41:44,840 --> 00:41:47,860 in France. In the years 2013, 2014 there was a big 723 00:41:47,860 --> 00:41:51,019 reactionary movement - the 'Manif pour tous'. 724 00:41:51,019 --> 00:41:54,119 Hundred thousands of people demonstrated with it. 725 00:41:54,119 --> 00:41:56,539 And we started losing hope for 726 00:41:56,539 --> 00:41:58,920 something to happen from our side. 727 00:41:58,920 --> 00:42:01,639 It was similar in 2010. There was a mobilization 728 00:42:01,639 --> 00:42:04,699 against a pension reform that finally didn't lead 729 00:42:04,699 --> 00:42:07,519 to something successful. And now, 730 00:42:07,519 --> 00:42:11,659 for two, almost three months, we feel as if something is 731 00:42:11,659 --> 00:42:15,759 finally happening. In some way it's similar to the 732 00:42:15,760 --> 00:42:18,980 big striking movement in many vocational sectors 1995 733 00:42:18,980 --> 00:42:23,480 in France. And now we see this social movement, 734 00:42:23,480 --> 00:42:27,280 which is traditionally unionist at the same time, 735 00:42:27,280 --> 00:42:30,880 in many important sectors 736 00:42:30,880 --> 00:42:34,019 like transport, energy, education. 737 00:42:34,019 --> 00:42:37,039 Interesting is that it creates alliances 738 00:42:37,039 --> 00:42:39,940 - something we've already seen in other countries, 739 00:42:39,940 --> 00:42:43,059 in Spain or in Greece. It's a development 740 00:42:43,059 --> 00:42:46,679 of a movement that supports employees and that has 741 00:42:46,679 --> 00:42:49,480 other questions apart from the most simple ones. 742 00:42:49,480 --> 00:42:53,440 It is concerned about the labor reform for example 743 00:42:53,440 --> 00:42:56,940 and it invites people to get involved, to develop 744 00:42:56,940 --> 00:43:00,280 fresh hope and especially, to say that the 745 00:43:00,280 --> 00:43:04,360 possibility of social change is not a myth 746 00:43:04,360 --> 00:43:08,440 or fantasy but something that can become 747 00:43:08,440 --> 00:43:13,559 true even if we don't know yet, where we go. 748 00:43:13,679 --> 00:43:15,659 From the the first day on I think it will be over tomorrow. 749 00:43:15,659 --> 00:43:17,799 That's why I'm pleasantly surprised every day. 750 00:43:18,619 --> 00:43:22,960 I'm definitely for another policy and political structure, 751 00:43:22,960 --> 00:43:26,280 completely different from the existing one. 752 00:43:27,079 --> 00:43:29,739 For France this means: an abolition of the constitution 753 00:43:29,739 --> 00:43:32,359 of the 5th Republic and the establishment of a 754 00:43:32,360 --> 00:43:34,740 constituent assembly that creates a new constitution. 755 00:43:34,739 --> 00:43:36,699 Abolishment of presidency. 756 00:43:36,880 --> 00:43:40,900 I think it's indispensable - and that seems important 757 00:43:40,900 --> 00:43:44,000 - that we profit from the current social climate 758 00:43:44,000 --> 00:43:48,179 to change people's belief that right-wing policy 759 00:43:48,179 --> 00:43:53,399 is an alternative concerning the social question 760 00:43:53,400 --> 00:43:56,680 The more people explore new ways, 761 00:43:56,679 --> 00:44:01,219 the more possibilities emerge, the more people see 762 00:44:01,219 --> 00:44:04,899 the political right as an alternative - but in which sense? 763 00:44:04,900 --> 00:44:08,380 We need to offer a counter-model for that. 764 00:44:08,380 --> 00:44:11,780 But since we don't have an alternative concept in society 765 00:44:11,780 --> 00:44:14,620 now we couldn't do so, because people say 766 00:44:14,619 --> 00:44:17,460 'You're just talking, but you have nothing 767 00:44:17,460 --> 00:44:20,679 to offer on your own'. Now we can focus on something. 768 00:44:20,679 --> 00:44:23,519 We can start all over. 769 00:44:23,519 --> 00:44:26,500 But we're staying alert because - as I said - 770 00:44:26,500 --> 00:44:29,239 the current movement doesn't have 771 00:44:29,239 --> 00:44:31,699 a stable political identity yet. 772 00:44:31,820 --> 00:44:33,760 Clément didn't die in vain, 773 00:44:33,760 --> 00:44:37,140 neither in a random situation nor in a random context. 774 00:44:37,139 --> 00:44:40,819 Right-wing structures, repression, the state 775 00:44:40,820 --> 00:44:44,640 are growing stronger the more time passes, 776 00:44:44,639 --> 00:44:47,099 the more years are passing by. 777 00:44:47,840 --> 00:44:51,260 Well, I think, that for a change in the current situation 778 00:44:51,260 --> 00:44:54,020 in France we'll need a revolution. 779 00:44:54,019 --> 00:44:56,800 Nowadays it's easier to talk about revolution 780 00:44:56,800 --> 00:45:00,240 than to induce it. 781 00:45:00,480 --> 00:45:05,619 In a way the violence of the state 'helped' to show 782 00:45:05,619 --> 00:45:10,400 people the brutal repression of every protest 783 00:45:10,400 --> 00:45:14,960 - something we've told them for years. 784 00:45:14,960 --> 00:45:18,599 That's not right, but if we take ourselves into 785 00:45:18,599 --> 00:45:21,839 a revolutionary perspective, this means 786 00:45:21,840 --> 00:45:25,420 to assume that possible changes don't come softly 787 00:45:25,420 --> 00:45:28,940 but heavy, that it has to be organized and carried out 788 00:45:28,940 --> 00:45:32,260 collectively and that there's more than one way to do it. 789 00:45:32,260 --> 00:45:35,380 The interesting thing is, that there's no dogmatism 790 00:45:35,380 --> 00:45:38,099 right now, no well-defined way. 791 00:45:38,099 --> 00:45:42,839 There's no assistance by political structures or parties 792 00:45:42,840 --> 00:45:46,600 or organizations or even a political practice 793 00:45:46,599 --> 00:45:49,940 in this movement. It stays pluralist, it stays open, 794 00:45:49,940 --> 00:45:55,200 it's a minority yet but it could create something. 795 00:45:55,199 --> 00:45:59,539 Of course it makes sense for antifascists to fight against 796 00:45:59,539 --> 00:46:03,239 right-wing structures, to become stronger for real, 797 00:46:03,239 --> 00:46:06,059 to make ourselves understood, 798 00:46:06,059 --> 00:46:10,199 if we really have an alternative to defend. 799 00:47:14,300 --> 00:47:28,620 In tribute to all victims of right-wing violence! 800 00:47:30,300 --> 00:47:33,539 Many thanks to everybody who made this project 801 00:47:33,539 --> 00:47:36,000 possible through their donations 802 00:47:36,000 --> 00:47:37,920 and support of any kind! 803 00:47:37,920 --> 00:47:40,880 We also thank all groups and persons who 804 00:47:40,880 --> 00:47:42,820 contributed to this production!