Protesters Rally in Paris Against Controversial ’Anti-Separatism’ Law

Although it is now called the draft law "strengthening respect for the principles of the Republic", nothing has changed as to the spirit of the law text which advocates "Work, education, associative life, organization and practice of worship. This law will restrict the ability to act of Muslim people in all aspects of their social life," says the coordination.

For anti-racist associations, this draft law which will also "fight against online hatred" will be a hindrance to their activities, "while Muslim populations can impunely be the subject of abusive media coverage," not to mention the strengthening of the control of religious associations and places of worship. Following the march in front of the Trocadéro and in front of the Senate, the demonstrators are alerting international public opinion on the Place de la République, in addition to the support already received from certain personalities, mainly British.

To recall, the choice of Sunday, March 14, 2021 is symbolic, as March 15, 2021 represents the second commemoration of the day when "a supremacist member and benefactor of Génération identitaire, inspired by French Islamophobic theses such as that of the ’great replacement’ assassinated 51 Muslims in Christchurch, New Zealand".

Since then, March 15 has become the World Day against Islamophobia. Thus, the choice of this day for the rally is symbolic and comes to remind that "the extension of the field of religious neutrality that the law provides for will increase unemployment and precariousness, destroy entire sectors of the associative sector and empty the very principle of freedom of association," the organizers stressed.