While fundamentalist Catholics organized a rally in Metz against the constitutionalization of abortion, activists defended the right to bodily autonomy. The result: several arrests, including one from the UCL (Union of Catholic Students). The police and the justice system have chosen their side, and it is not that of emancipation. ---- On March 9, 2024, the day after the National Assembly voted to constitutionalize abortion, the far right in Metz organized a "protest" mass in the city's cathedral against this symbolic measure protecting the right to bodily autonomy. This was followed by a gathering on the cathedral square for public prayers.
Left-wing and human rights organizations[1]called for a counter-demonstration to ensure that this public display of reactionary ideas did not go unanswered. It was in this context that a group of activists from the local UCL Nancy chapter traveled to Metz to support this anti-patriarchal action. This counter-demonstration, held on the morning of March 9th in front of the cathedral, proceeded peacefully until the end of Mass and the departure of the fundamentalist Catholic activists.
About fifteen fundamentalists then confronted the counter-demonstration on the cathedral steps. After a few minutes of confrontation, the reactionaries began to agitate, filming, and then brandish royalist flags as a provocation. This escalation was followed by antisemitic insinuations and remarks from the fundamentalists, who are quite accustomed to being able to display their racism in public with impunity. Among these reactionaries were Cassandre Fristot, a notorious antisemite, and other figures from local conspiracy theory and fundamentalist circles.
Amidst these altercations, several people attempted to intervene and defend themselves, including a fellow student from UCL Nancy, but were quickly overwhelmed by the fundamentalists. It was at this point that the police, present (but keeping their distance) from the scene since the beginning, decided to intervene, assaulting members of the counter-protest with batons. Three people, including our comrade, were struck, restrained, and then arrested. Naturally, there were no arrests on the other side, their sense of impunity manifesting itself in further provocations: fundamentalist and royalist flags were waved above the activists held down on the ground by the police. A fourth person, a young feminist activist, was also caught by the police. But a swift reaction from the counter-protest allowed her to be released without being arrested.
The three people arrested were taken to the Metz police station and held there until the end of the day. One of the three, a victim of transphobia at the hands of the police, was deeply affected by the experience. Victims of judicial repression for defending the right to bodily autonomy, the three comrades will stand trial on May 19 for aggravated assault. If you wish to support this fight against the judicial repression of a UCL activist, a fundraising campaign has been launched to cover their legal fees[2].
Mattéo and Mathilde (UCL Nancy)
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[1]Including members of Révolution Permanente, the Anarchist Federation, feminist and LGBTQ+ collectives, and of course, UCL.
https://www.unioncommunistelibertaire.org/?Repression-judiciaire-Soutien-aux-camarades-interpelle-es-pour-avoir-defendu-l
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Source: A-infos-en@ainfos.ca
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