“Palestine will live, Palestine will win.” Around 150 people gathered in the center of Lyon on Monday evening, “in support of the Palestinian resistance”, before being quickly dispersed by the police. The demonstration was banned Monday morning by the Rhône prefecture due to the “risk of disturbing public order”. Four people were arrested before the gathering and eight fined for “prohibited demonstration”, according to the prefecture.
Relayed by various ultra-left and anti-fascist organizations, the rally was organized after the launch of Hamas’ surprise offensive in Israel, by a collective called “La Fosse aux Lyons” – whose name evokes the Palestinian armed group “Fosse aux Lyons” Lions” operating in the West Bank.
“Israel get out of there, Palestine is not yours”
“What we forget to say is that what radicalized these groups is the oppression of the State of Israel,” explained a young demonstrator, Covid mask on his face, holding a banner “Gaza silence we kill”. “Of course, I am against these modes of action and these ideas of Hamas, but anything that can free the Palestinian people from the crime of apartheid, I see it with a positive eye,” he continued.
The demonstrators, who brandished some Palestinian flags while shouting “Palestine will live, Palestine will win”, “Israel get out of the way, Palestine is not yours”, “everyone hates Israel”, were dispersed by successive charges of the mobile gendarmes, present in large numbers, and by firing tear gas.