Aux barricades! posted by Richard Seymour

Some updates on yesterday's post.

First of all, it seems I was rather unfair to the French in saying that they approved by 57% of Nicolas Sarkozy's words and actions. In fact, what the poll says is that Sarkozy has "une bonne image", with 57% saying they have a generally positive image of him. However, 66% said he put "too much emphasis
on repression and not enough on prevention", 73% said his actions were "too much for
the media/too media-conscious", and 63% said he often "used shocking language", while half said that Sarkozy's policies were not effective. I owe the translation to Le Colonel Chabert, who also posts an interesting item on invisibility. It seems that Azouz Begag, the minister for equal opportunity, criticised Sarkozy's inflammatory language and behaviour:

Begag "a perdu une bonne occasion de se taire", selon Thierry Mariani (UMP, Vaucluse). "Il a manqué à lanécessaire solidarité gouvernementale", a dénoncé Alain Marleix (UMP,Cantal), réclamant carrément la démission du ministre délégué.

Translation:

Proposals that could not but arouse the fury of the interior
ministers friends. Begag "lost a fine opportunity to keep quiet,"
according to Thierry Mariani. "He neglected to show needed
governmental solidarity," was Alain Marliex's denouncement, calling
for his [Begag's] resignation.

Similarly, an article in Le Monde says that Muslim leaders are providing human shields for riot police:

Au milieu de la rue qui relie Clichy à la cité des Bosquets de
Montfermeil, dans la nuit de lundi 31 octobre à mardi 1er novembre,
ils font la circulation, discutent avec leurs "frères" et les
gendarmes protégés derrière leurs boucliers. Quelques heures après les
premières condamnations de jeunes gens interpellés au cours des
émeutes des jours précédents, l'ambiance est électrique.

In the middle of the street connecting Clichy to Bosquets de
Montfermeil, on the night of 31 Oct-1 Nov, [dozens of local -
'explicitly' Muslim - adults] made rounds, talking with their
'brothers' and the police protected by their riot shields. Several
hours after the first convictions of the young people arrested in the
course of rioting the previous days, the atmosphere is electric.

"Rentrez chez vous" , hurlent en direction des jeunes ces adultes,
dont beaucoup portent une longue barbe et la tenue traditionnelle. Ils
tentent de canaliser les assaillants en dressant un cordon vite
dépassé par la mobilité des petits groupes qui circulent entre les
immeubles mal éclairés. Pour la cinquième nuit consécutive depuis la
mort de deux mineurs de Clichy électrocutés jeudi 27 octobre, des
pierres et des bouteilles fusent en direction des forces de l'ordre
qui ripostent avec des gaz lacrymogènes. "Ne tirez pas. On va prendre
des pierres avant vous" , supplient les adultes devant les gendarmes.

"Go home", these adults, many of them sporting long beards and
traditional headgear, shout in the direction of the youths; They
attempt to channel the assailants by creating a living wall,
circumvented by small groups circulating in the dark alleys between
buildings. For the fifth consecutive night since the death of two
minors from Clichy, electrocuted on 27 Oct, bottles and rocks are
launched at the police who respond with tear gas. "Don't shoot. We'll
take the rocks for you," beg the adults standing in front of the
police.

The Washington Post reports:

While French politicians say the violence now circling and even entering the capital of France and spreading to towns across the country is the work of organized criminal gangs, the residents of Le Blanc-Mesnil know better. Many of the rioters grew up playing soccer on Rezzoug's field. They are the children of baggage handlers at nearby Charles de Gaulle International Airport and cleaners at the local schools.

...

Beyond their hatred of Sarkozy, the youths involved in the rampages and their companions offer a disparate list of grievances against the government.

Abdel, echoing the anger of many of the youths, said he resented the French government's efforts to thrust Muslim leaders into the role of mediators between the police and the violent demonstrators.

"This has nothing to do with religion," he said. "But non-Muslims are afraid of people like me with a beard. I look suspicious to them. Discrimination is all around us. We live it every day. It's become a habit. It's in the air."

According to the BBC, the front page of Liberation features a cartoon depicting Chirac, Villepin and Sarkozy as burnt out vehicles. This may well be an accurate depiction of where they are headed. There was a telling phrase in one of the reports last week, which described the unrest as the worst France had seen since 1968. It seems to me that if this is an expression of rage about poverty, neglect, unemployment, police violence and so on, then it has to be politicised sharply. A demonstration is planned for December 10th, but this may well be too late. The unrest shows no sign of abating in the immediate future, but it may do soon. 'Up like the rocket, down like the stick' is an old expression that applies to situations like this. To have this end up as no more than a futile expression of anger at the government would be tragic - think how many cars would have lost their lives in vain. If the French far Left can get over its fetishes about headscarves and men in long beards, it ought to be organising demonstrations against the government and working with immigrant groups and young Muslims to do so. They should be getting the unions to support them. And if Sarkozy's police men murder any more young men, then they should make 1968 look like a dress rehearsal. That, for the record, is my answer to those who demand "condemnation".