Activists on social media termed the summons a move meant to repress the movement for Palestine in France.
A French left-wing politician said on Monday that he was summoned by the police for his pro-Palestine stance.
“This weekend I was summoned by the anti-terrorist police as part of an investigation for ‘apology of terrorism’ following tweets of solidarity with Palestine,” Annasse Kazib, who is also a prominent trade unionist, said on X.
Calling for support for all pro-Palestine activists, Kazib added: “We’re not going to let ourselves be intimidated.”
🔴 [COMMUNIQUE] Ce week-end j’ai reçu une convocation de la police anti-terroriste dans le cadre d’une enquête pour « apologie du terrorisme » suite à des tweets de solidarité avec la Palestine. On ne va pas se laisser intimider. Soutien à tous les militants attaqués 🇵🇸⤵️ pic.twitter.com/7yytFEkdEX
— Anasse Kazib (@AnasseKazib) April 8, 2024
Activists on social media termed the summons a move meant to repress the movement for Palestine in France.
Crackdown on Solidarity
France, along with Germany, has cracked down on pro-Palestinian solidarity since October 7.
On October 12, French police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse a rally in Paris in support of the Palestinian people, shortly after the government moved to ban all such rallies.
Paris has justified these moves saying that the curbs are to stop public disorder and prevent antisemitism.
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French Interior Minister Gerals Darmanin said at the time that at least 24 people had been arrested across France for “anti-Semitic acts”, adding that he believed any foreigner who commits such acts should be expelled from France “without delay”.
In January, Karim Benzema filed a defamation suit against Darmamin, after the French minister said he had “notorious” links with the Muslim Brotherhood.
The minister made his comments in October, after Benzema expressed his solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza on his social media platforms.
Also in January, a French court gave Algerian football player Youcef Atal an eight-month suspended prison sentence for a post he shared on social media about the war in Gaza.
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According to a Nice criminal court, a video Atal reposted on his social media in October provoked hatred on the grounds of religion.
Nice suspended Atal from playing “until further notice” and was also previously detained by French authorities in November due to the post. He was released on bail of 80,000 euros ($87,500) and placed under judicial supervision until the trial.
(PC, Anadolu)
