For some reason I find it hard to post travel photos here after my journeys are over; I guess part of the fun of being overseas is documenting the trip as it happens. When I recently visited Paris, the world’s most beautiful city, I was pretty good about posting as I traveled, though it’s often hard because you want to travel more than you want to write about it.
Here is the last batch of photos I took in Paris—at the antisemitism march on November 13. It was not a pro-Israel march, but designed to bring the French together by dispelling hatred of Israel, but also of Muslims. There were thus many French flags and other tricolored items on display, but few Israeli flags. It was heartening to experience the feeling of togetherness.
Similar marches occurred in other French cities, with the total attendees estimated at 180,000.
About 105,000 people showed up near the Invalides, coincidentally the number of people estimated at the antisemitism march in Washington, D. C.
Some photos:
Part of the crowd, with Les Invalides in the backroom.
The VIP arrival spot, including the right-wing Marine Le Pen. I didn’t see her, as I was squashed by the crowds (note all the media microphones).
I was told that this guy was head of the French Socialist party, but I can’t be sure. Readers?
Some made their statements in a subtle way, like this lady with a tricolor in her hat.
This serious woman seemed to me to be our Marianne. I was told that those who wore tricolored sashes were some kind of officials:
This was the banner that, I was told, was used at the beginning of the march.
The crowds were so dense that there was a traffic jam on the stairs up to the bridge over to the Invalides from the Right Bank. The cops made it very hard to even get to the demonstration, continually diverting us until we found that this was the only way in from the Left Bank:
Les flics. There were tons of cops around, though the demonstration was peaceful (and much less numerous than the pro-Palestinian demonstrations):
Somehow this statue, which I saw while walking back after the gathering, seemed appropriate: “The bird of peace“, sculpted by Mirza Moric. It will be exhibited until February.
That man has three fezzes on.
Ain’t never gonna do it without The Fez on.
Tricolor sash bearers are not “some kind of officials” but elected officials. and the colors are in different order from left to right/top to bottom depending on whether they are local or national elected representatives or officials (like mayors).
Of course the colors are always Blue White Red and not some kind of combination thereof.
Well, I decided to do some research* on the French Socialist Party. The Wikipedia page starts as follows:
The only people we hate more than the Romans are the Judean People’s Front, and the Judea Popular People’s Front…
Anyway, the man in the photo doesn’t look like any of the current leadership of the French Socialist Party to my eye, at least not if Wikipedia is up to date.
*consisting of perusing the Wikipedia page and watching a YouTube clip from Life of Brian.
The Wikipedia photo is from 2012, but the mouth and jaw look similar to me?
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olivier_Faure
I have to admit that when I first saw the headline: “Antisemitism March in Paris” I was steeling myself to read about a march against Israel and the Jews. Fortunately, it was an anti- antisemitism march and not a pro- antisemitism march!
Thank you for posting this.
I was told that this guy was head of the French Socialist party, but I can’t be sure.
Yup, that looks like Olivier Faure. (But I’m not French and certainly no expert.)
https://www.ecosia.org/images?q=Olivier%20Faure
Sharp distinction: Marches against antisemitism have no, if any, masked persons.
Compare that to those “Pro-Palestine” ones……