feminist collectives call for rallies against the “sexist old world”

A gathering is notably planned for Thursday, at 6 p.m., Place Saint-Augustin, in Paris. Others are announced in around thirty cities, including Marseille, Lille and Lyon.

“Keep your old world, we want one without sexist and sexual violence” : a collective of feminist associations calls for rallies on Thursday January 11 in front of the courts and prefectures of France, three weeks after the support given by Emmanuel Macron to Gérard Depardieu, indicted for rape and targeted by three complaints for sexual assault or rape which he refutes.

“We call on all those who defend the rights of women, children and gender minorities, and who reject sexist and sexual violence to rallies,” writes the Feminist Strike collective in a press release.

“Since #MeToo, progress has been made. Let us not let this progress be destroyed by irresponsible, serious and sexist remarks from the President of the Republic who have violated the rights of victims and the rights of all women and children,” adds the collective.

A gathering is notably planned for 6 p.m., Place Saint-Augustin, in Paris (8th arrondissement). Others are announced in around thirty cities, including Marseille, Lille and Lyon.

Guest on France 5 on December 20, Emmanuel Macron supported Gérard Depardieu, calling him“great actor” who gives “proud of France” and denouncing a “manhunt”. The Head of State’s comments, made after the broadcast on France 2 of a report during which the actor made numerous misogynistic and insulting remarks while addressing women, shocked part of the population.

“Reversal of Guilt”

Feminist associations have described the declarations of the President of the Republic as “sputum” in the faces of victims of sexual violence and denounced a “reversal of guilt”.

The government spokesperson, Olivier Véran, and the president of the MoDem, François Bayrou, have since distanced themselves from Emmanuel Macron’s position: the first said he “shocked” by the words of Gérard Depardieu and the second declared that he did not “no indulgence” for the actor.

“Self-proclaimed champion of the fight against violence against women, President Macron proves to be neither more nor less a defender of alleged attackers,” considers Feminist Strike, deploring that the head of state has not “had a word of solidarity with the alleged victims”.

The call to demonstrate was notably signed by the Feminist Collective Against Rape, the National Women’s Solidarity Federation, the Human Rights League, Family Planning and Dare Feminism.