French Government Dissolves Far-Right Group Génération Identitaire Over Hate Speech

"This association and some of its activists must be seen as holding a hate speech inciting discrimination or violence towards individuals on the grounds of their origin, race and religion" and, "by its military form and organization", Génération identitaire "can be seen as presenting the character of a private militia", argues Gérald Darmanin in the dissolution decree.

Informed, the far-right movement says it is contesting this decision, and intends to file, through its lawyer Pierre-Vincent Lambert, an appeal to the Council of State for excess of power as well as an urgent application to the high administrative court to suspend the suspension, reports AFP.

On January 26, 2021, the Minister of the Interior had promised to dissolve Génération identitaire if "the elements are gathered". He had said he was "outraged by the subversive work of the militants of Génération identitaire", who had organized an anti-migrant operation called "Mission Pyrénées", to track down "suspicious profiles" and "Afro-Maghrebians" at the Franco-Spanish border. Several elected officials in Occitania had also called for the dissolution of "this violent and dangerous far-right group". Subsequently, Gérald Darmanin had initiated, on February 13, the dissolution procedure of the movement, and had given it 10 days to present its arguments.