A-Infos (en) France, UCL AL #361 - Antifascism - Dissolutions: Authoritarianism on the March (ca, de, fr, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]

On the eve of May 1st, Bruno Retailleau announced that he had initiated 
dissolution proceedings against the Young Antifascist Guard and Urgence 
Palestine, a collective created in the aftermath of October 7, 2023, to 
support the Palestinian people. A look back at dissolution procedures, a 
hobbyhorse of Macron's governments. It's a nasty habit of the Interior 
Ministers under Macron: restricting any far-left protest movement. 
Dissolution procedures have, unfortunately, become routine for social 
movement organizations. In 2021, Gérald Darmanin, then Minister of the 
Interior, announced similar proceedings against the Collective Against 
Islamophobia in France (CCIF), which dissolved itself to pull the rug 
out from under his feet[1]. The Anti-Fascist Group for Lyon and the 
Surrounding Areas (GALE) was targeted in March 2022. Following the 
mobilization against the mega-sinks in Sainte-Soline, Gérald Darmanin 
also initiated the dissolution of the Earth Uprisings. In an effort to 
maintain a veneer of "neither right nor left," legal action has also 
been taken against the other end of the political spectrum: the 
Angers-based organization Alvarium was dissolved in 2021, as was 
Génération Identitaire. Bruno Retailleau also announced his intention to 
dissolve the far-right group Lyon Populaire.

This balance is, of course, superficial: far-right groups can resort to 
impressive levels of violence before the government ends their impunity. 
In contrast, the motives targeting left-wing organizations are much more 
unclear. The Young Guard is targeted for violence and anti-Semitism, 
based on truncated and decontextualized statements, or for daring to 
respond to fascist violence-while law enforcement is at best passive. 
Urgence Palestine, like the rest of the pro-Palestinian movement, faces 
accusations of anti-Semitism and apology for terrorism. Meanwhile, 
fascist activists can continue to organize their annual May 9th 
Committee march, during which explicit Nazi references are seen[2]. In a 
sad twist of history, the law against militias and combat groups used to 
initiate these dissolutions was adopted to dissolve the factious and 
anti-Semitic leagues that sought to overthrow democracy in February 1934...

Young Guard procession during the March Against the High Cost of Living 
and Climate Inaction on October 16, 2022, in Paris. Patrice 
Leclerc/phototheque.org
These proceedings have not always ended in favor of ministers. In 
October 2023, for example, the Council of State annulled the dissolution 
of the Earth Uprisings, deeming the use of dissolution disproportionate 
in the face of the criticism leveled at the movement[3]. In this, as on 
other occasions, the Macronists are not concerned with the legal 
compliance of their actions: they are taking a chance and seeing whether 
or not the courts approve their approach.

The lack of attention paid to the legal soundness of these dissolutions 
demonstrates that the government is using this tool for media hype and 
public consumption rather than for its actual legal utility. By acceding 
to the demands of organizations such as UNI and La Cocarde, it is also 
giving a thumbs-up to the far right, which has made the dissolution of 
these organizations one of its main goals. Bayrou's position at Matignon 
depends solely on the goodwill of the RN's leaders, so it's always a 
good idea to give in to some of their demands. The attack on an openly 
anti-racist and pro-Palestine organization adds to the criminalization 
of the fight against Islamophobia and support for Palestine that we've 
seen for years.

Demonstration against Islamophobia in Paris, May 11, 2025.
Patrice Leclerc/phototheque.org
Even poorly documented, these procedures have insidious effects on our 
organizations: they put activists under intense pressure, draining 
significant resources from organizing defense and support. In turn, they 
lead to self-censorship among the rest of the social movement, as 
organizations fear attracting the attention of the Ministry of the Interior.

Threatened, the Jeune Garde and Urgence Palestine are not giving in. The 
two structures have already collected a significant amount of public 
support, from the political world (from the NPA to EELV, including of 
course the UCL) as well as from the union world (CGT, Solidaires, FSU) 
and the artistic world, including notably Médine, Youssoupha, Alois 
Sauvage, and many others[4]. Gatherings have taken place in many cities 
such as Paris, where a support meeting was organized at the beginning of 
May[5], in Lyon or in Grenoble. Our social camp must show unwavering 
solidarity. The unity of the broader social movement is more than 
necessary in the face of this new stage in the criminalization of 
political opposition and anti-fascist and anti-imperialist resistance. 
An attack against one of us is an attack against all of us. Together, 
let's put a stop to Retailleau, his government, and his fascist allies.

Nico (UCL Antifa Commission)

Validate

[1]The Collective Against Islamophobia in Europe (CCIE) was created in 
Belgium in early November 2020 to replace the CCIF at the European level.

[2]Maxime Macé, Pierre Plottu, and Caurentin Courtois, "Nazi salutes, SS 
symbols... exclusive images at the heart of the C9M neo-fascist 
ceremony," Libération, May 12, 2025.

[3]UCL press release, "Earth Uprisings: A victory but a warning for 
civil liberties," October 27, 2023.

[4]Opinion piece "No to the dissolution of Urgence Palestine and the 
Young Antifascist Guard," L'Humanité, May 12, 2025.

[5]"Meeting against the dissolution of Urgence Palestine and the Young 
Antifascist Guard," Attac.org, May 6, 2025.

https://www.unioncommunistelibertaire.org/?Dissolutions-L-autoritarisme-en-marche
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