Ultra-right protesters, numbering nearly a thousand, rally in Paris on a Saturday, under the auspices of the small neo-fascist organization known as the Committee of May 9th.
Bashing through the French Streets: Neo-Fascist Committee of May 9 Sparks Controversy
Waving Nazi flags and adorned with Celtic crosses, approximately a thousand extremist protesters, led by the neo-fascist group, Committee of May 9, marched through Paris this weekend. The march, which took place under heavy police surveillance, resulted in thirteen arrests, including counter-protesters.
The Committee of May 9 is a right-wing extremist group that gathers each year to commemorate the death of one of their members, Sébastien Deyzieu, who passed away in 1994. Deyzieu was a militant of the French Work, a Pétainist and anti-Semitic group, who tragically fell from a roof during a chase with law enforcement at a demonstration against American Imperialism, which had been banned by the prefecture.
Marching under the banner "Sébastien Deyzieu Present," this group of black-clad, masked militants made their way between Port-Royal and the rue des Chartreux (6th arrondissement), where Deyzieu died 31 years ago.
Despite the initial ban from the Paris police prefecture due to concerns of public disorder, the administrative court of the capital lifted the ban on Friday evening, citing a lack of incidents at last year's event. However, there were concerns about a counter-demonstration that planned to join the Committee of May 9's route and mix the protesters with opposing ideologies. The judge also considered the history of violence committed by organizations involved in the counter-demo.
The march occurred without significant disturbances, but nearby anti-fascist counter-protesters fired mortar rounds at the procession. Upon arrival at rue des Chartreux, the militants gathered near the building where their fallen comrade met his fate.
The extreme-right group had its student union, the GUD (Groupe union de défense), dissolved in June of 2024. Several participants displayed flags with Celtic crosses and wore T-shirts adorned with Nazi iconography and hooligan symbols.
Since its inception, the Committee of May 9 has been a source of controversy, with their provocative chants, violent history, and offensive tattoos being widely criticized. In 2023, several hundred members of the group marched with impunity at a demonstration sanctioned by the administrative court.
If you're interested in learning more about political movements and events in France, take a closer look at the French Revolution's Committee of Public Safety and the historic protests of May 1968 (May 68). The Committee of May 9, however, remains a distinct and divisive presence in the country's political landscape.
- The administrative court in the capital overturned the Paris police prefecture's ban on the Committee of May 9's anniversary march, citing a lack of incidents at last year's event.
- Competing ideologies were a source of concern as a counter-demonstration planned to join the route of the neo-fascist Committee of May 9.
- The weekend march, led by the Committee of May 9, requesting an end to the surveillance of their political activities, took place between Port-Royal and the rue des Chartreux, the arrondissement where their founder, Sébastien Deyzieu, died.
- As the Committee of May 9 marked another anniversary, their fascist ideology was reflected in the flags with Celtic crosses and Nazi iconography worn by participants, raising concerns in the realms of general news and crime and justice.
