The Ministry of the Interior, like those of National Education and Higher Education, are particularly vigilant. They fear that the ongoing conflict in the Middle East will lead to violent reactions in France.
“Extreme vigilance”, they say at the Élysée, as in Gérald Darmanin’s entourage. After Hamas’s unprecedented offensive against Israel, leaving nearly 1,400 dead on both sides, according to official reports, France fears a “risk of importation” of the conflict. The executive is therefore monitoring possible repercussions in France very closely.
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This weekend, it was Emmanuel Macron himself who gave the direct order to France’s top cop to strengthen the protection of all places frequented by the Jewish community. Around twenty anti-Semitic acts were, in fact, recorded on Monday October 9, which resulted in ten arrests. Furthermore, hundreds of reports of hate messages on social networks have been filed, and around forty of them have been brought to justice, indicated Gérald Darmanin. A pro-Palestinian rally was also banned in Lyon on Monday evening.
Several very vigilant ministries
Faced with this risk of importing the conflict, the Minister of the Interior is “very worried”, entrusts one of his colleagues to the government, which also judges this import “inevitable”susceptible to “rekindle the fuse” and provoke a new wave of riots.
Monday evening, the Ministry of National Education assured that it had no feedback on possible incidents in educational establishments. After reports, Sylvie Retailleau, the Minister of Higher Education and Research, on the other hand, had to write a letter addressed to university presidents to remind them of the conduct to be taken in the event of inappropriate comments, including understood from teachers.
All pro-Palestinian demonstrations likely to degenerate will be prohibited, according to an instruction given to the prefects. But, behind the scenes, at Place Beauveau, we fear in particular the effect of the images coming from Gaza, showing civilians being bombed and victims of the complete siege now imposed by the Israeli army.