“Liberty, equality, papers”, “our country is called solidarity”. In Dunkirk, Paris, Bordeaux or Montpellier, demonstrators “anti-racist” demanded Saturday, December 18 across France for the regularization of undocumented immigrants, worrying about “the rise of far-right ideas”.
In Paris, the authorities counted 2,300 demonstrators, according to an AFP police source. “I am here to support the undocumented migrants who all work in unbearable conditions”, Véronique Hollebecque, 61-year-old resident of the Paris region told AFP, telling herself “in full support with them”. “We are made to believe that we are being invaded when they are there to work, contribute to economic activity. No reason why they are mistreated and do not benefit from the rights”, she added, a few months before the presidential election.
In the procession, Cissé Lassana explained working in a hotel, at night, near the Eiffel Tower: “I have been working here for seven years, that’s a lot, I would like to have papers because I am entitled to them”, testified this Malian national, member of the association Droits devant !!. Dozens of organizations, associations and unions – including the Federation of Associations for Solidarity with All Immigrants (Fasti) and the South Union – had called for demonstrations as part of a campaign “anti-racist and united” who hears a voice “alternative to the extreme right”.
The calls to protest involved dozens of cities across the country. In Bordeaux, around 200 people gathered in front of the Grand Théâtre, under the slogan “Migrations: misconceptions kill!”. In Montpellier, a hundred people demonstrated in peace. “Liberty, Equality, Papers”, proclaimed the main banner. The demonstrators were 150 in Dunkirk according to the organizing associations, 120 in Aix-en-Provence according to the prefecture, around 110 in Avignon, as well as a few dozen in Lille.