Mandatory Credit: Photo by ISA HARSIN/SIPA/Shutterstock (11029703ae)
Demonstration Place du Trocadero in Paris, called in particular by journalists’ unions who denounce an attack on freedom of expression and the rule of law, following the adoption by the National Assembly in first reading November 20, 2020 of article 24 of the global security law proposal, brought by Gerald Darmanin, Minister of Interior in the government of Emmanuel Macron. This article penalizes the malicious diffusion of police images
Demonstration against global security law, Paris, France – 21 Nov 2020
More than half a million people across France took to the streets to protest of the so-called Global Security Bill, which was passed in late November. The bill would have forbidden the publication of images where a police officer can be identified and expanded the ability of the “security forces” to film ordinary citizens without their consent using bodycams and drones. Although the bill has been withdrawn as of December, right wing lawmakers say they will return with a new version.
Images of police brutality particularly against Muslims, Black people, and migrants in France have galvanized opposition to President Macron’s repressive, racist, and anti-worker policies. In addition to the ‘security’ bill, Macron has promoted a bill called Supporting Republican Principles. THis bill seeks further restrictions of Muslim life by banning home-schooling, expanding surveillance of Muslims, and subjecting publicly funded organizations to tests of their French nationalism. Protesters must stay in the streets to ensure this racist bill is also withdrawn.
Trump has refused to comment on the anti-Muslim pogroms in India, instead praising Modi as “very strong” and “very tough.” He has since boasted that he brokered the sale of $3 billion worth of military equipment to the Indian government and that he “looks forward to providing India with some of the best and most feared military equipment on the planet.”
Modi’s government, like Trump’s, scapegoats Muslims, immigrants, and others in order to turn attention from the real reason that there’s a widespread lack of decent jobs and deteriorating living standards for workers. When the capitalist system can no longer sustain itself from exploitation alone, racism and war are the answers of the capitalists.
As during the rise of Nazism, the ultra-rich are relying more and more on the arms trade for their profits. Here in the U.S. as in India, it’s urgent that we get organized to defeat fascism. In order to do so, we must stand firm against the Pentagon and the ballooning military budget that allows war profiteers to siphon more than 60% of U.S. government spending for their own enrichment.
The Dehli Solidarity and Relief Committee volunteers went to areas affected by the attacks to provide relief work and to survey affected areas and families. Brinda Karat (center) met the grieving family of Faizan, a Muslim man, who had been beaten and made to sing the national anthem while he was in a seriously injured condition. The Dehli police kept him in their custody instead of allowing him treatment. He was released when his condition became critical. Later he succumbed to his injuries.
By Gregory William
At the end of February, Trump spent two days in India, being regaled at lavish events by far-right president, Narendra Modi. They held a mass rally at a sports stadium in Gujarat, where Trump declared that the two countries are united in a fight against “radical Islamic terrorism.” But this is an extreme distortion of what both the Indian and U.S. governments are doing, and we must call this event what it was: a fascist rally.
While Trump was in the country whipping up hatred, at least 40 people were killed and thousands injured as anti-Muslim violence swept the streets of Delhi. Mosques, Muslim-owned businesses, and homes were set on fire, and multiple people were burned alive or lynched. These events parallel Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass), a wave of anti-Jewish violence unleashed by the Nazis in November 1938. This was a prelude to the Holocaust.
Since coming to power in 2014, Modi has carried out assaults on workers on behalf of big business, pushing through cuts to healthcare, education, and more. All the while, he has stirred up ethnic conflict. Hate crimes in India dramatically spiked, as in the U.S. after Trump’s election. In December 2019, the Indian parliament passed a citizenship law that discriminates against Muslims. They have imposed military occupation on the semi-autonomous, Muslim majority states of Jammu and Kashmir.
Trump and Modi are birds of a feather and are leaders in the right-wing nationalist movement that is happening in many countries. Both have nothing to offer the masses of the people except division and hatred. This only benefits the ultra-rich who would rather see workers fighting each other than fighting against them.
In opposition to the violence, socialist and communist parties organized demonstrations across India, from Kerala to Kolkata. The parties have also organized aid for those affected. For example, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has organized solidarity and relief committees that are collecting funds and working directly with victims.
Across the country, students are standing up to “hoodie bans” and other oppressive rules.
By Enigma E
This past November students at Helen Cox High School in Harvey, LA walked out of class to protest the injustice done to a female Muslim student, who was harassed and violated by the school administration for wearing a hooded jacket. She was asked to take off her hoodie, which she was using to protect against the cold weather and as a covering for her body as she respectfully practices her faith of Islam. When the administrator tried to forcibly remove the hoodie from the young woman, students came to her defense, which led to the walk-out. As the students protested the oppressive hoodie rule and the mistreatment of one of their peers, the administration called the cops which only escalated the situation. Six cop cars and two firetrucks showed up to the school. The cops arrested a sixteen-year-old student and charged him with battery of a police officer in addition to other charges.
The students were reacting to the over policing of their bodies and culture. Jefferson Parish School District started enforcing the “hoodie rule” after the murder of Trayvon Martin, while the racist, capitalist-owned media was busy blaming Trayvon for his own murder. This campaign went hard criminalizing young Black people for their choice of clothing.
The way the police handled the youth at their school is indicative of how the police handle poor people on the streets. The police don’t handle rich white people the way they handle poor people of color. It’s been like that for the entire history of AmeriKKKa. Across the globe, capitalist white supremacist rule holds back the masses of the global working class.
The ruling class news sold the students’ righteous protest as “Muslim student’s refusal to remove hoodie leads to chaos at Helen Cox High School.” This oppressive headline implies to the reader that some crazy non-white, non-Christian students were acting violently. The Workers Voice says the students have the right to stand up against oppression!
More actions like this are needed in schools and cities across the country. The world is waiting for the U.S. working class to rise up and revolt against their oppressors. If we don’t, the rich ruling class will continue to make things worse for us. We have to fight back. The youth are some of the most fearless fighters the working class has got.
Young people are justified in their frustration with the capitalist system. They just have to direct that rage towards revolution! Let the youth be free! All power to the people!
