On May 11, 2024, a gathering of far-right extremists from the Committee of May 9 took place in Paris, which lasted for two hours and saw several streets in the 6th arrondissement under the control of neo-fascists. Despite an earlier ban issued by the Prefect of Police of Paris in response to the provocative behavior and nationalist chants of the group, a decision was made by the administrative court of Paris to suspend the ban, citing a violation of the right to freedom of assembly. This allowed hundreds of identitarian and neo-fascist militants, some of whom were royalists, to march through the streets of Paris unhindered, despite the efforts of the Minister of the Interior to prevent such gatherings.
The significance of this particular gathering for the Committee of May 9 was due to the fact that it marked the 30th anniversary of the death of Sébastien Deyzieu, a young activist from the French Action organization, a group associated with the Vichy regime. Deyzieu died in a confrontation with the police during a banned demonstration against American imperialism on May 7, 1994. In response to his death, the “Comité du 9 mai” was formed by various far-right groups, including the Groupe Union Défense (GUD) and the Nationalist Revolution Youth, to demand the resignation of the then Minister of the Interior, Charles Pasqua, and to honor the memory of the young nationalist.
During the gathering, more than 600 militants freely displayed their nationalist chants and symbols, such as the black sun or Celtic crosses tattooed on their arms or legs, and marched in a military-style formation led by their leader Gabriel Loustau. The group disregarded concerns raised by the authorities about their behavior, including the illegal covering of faces and the promotion of nationalist rhetoric inciting hatred and discrimination. Despite the justification given for the ban, many participants chose to cover their faces with scarves, and there were instances of Nazi salutes and nationalist slogans during the procession, highlighting the group’s defiance of attempts to restrict their activities.
The presence of far-right extremists openly displaying symbols associated with neo-fascism and engaging in provocative behavior in the streets of Paris raised concerns about the rise of right-wing extremism in France. The ability of groups like the Committee of May 9 to mobilize and gather despite efforts to prevent their activities underscores the ongoing challenge of addressing and countering extremist ideologies within society. The commemoration of the death of Sébastien Deyzieu and the continued presence of groups advocating for nationalist and xenophobic policies serve as a reminder of the importance of vigilance and action against the spread of hate and intolerance in society.
