Over 100,000 People March in Paris to Protest Rising Antisemitism in Wake of Israel-Hamas Conflict

On Sunday, over 100,000 people marched in Paris to protest against rising antisemitism in the wake of Israel’s ongoing war against Hamas in Gaza. The march was attended by Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne, representatives of several parties on the left, conservatives and centrists of President Emmanuel Macron’s party, as well as far-right leader Marine Le Pen. The march was held under tight security.

However, the leader of the far-left France Unbowed party, Jean-Luc Melenchon, stayed away from the march. Last week on X, formerly Twitter, Melenchon said that the march would be a meeting of “friends of unconditional support for the [Israeli] government” and that he would not attend.

The march was organized by the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions in France (CRIF). CRIF President Francis Kalifat said that the march was “a cry of alarm” against rising antisemitism in France. Kalifat also said that the march was “a message of fraternity and solidarity” with the Jewish community.

The march was attended by several prominent figures, including Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, former Prime Minister Manuel Valls, and former President Nicolas Sarkozy. The march was also attended by members of the French government, including Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin and Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti.

The march was held in response to a recent surge in antisemitic attacks in France, which have been linked to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. The march was seen as a way to show solidarity with the Jewish community and to stand against antisemitism.